


Stuck in My Mind

by lokitrashno_1



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Coma, Connor (Detroit: Become Human) Whump, Electrocution, Father-Son Relationship, Gen, Good Parent Hank Anderson, Hank Anderson Adopts Connor, Head Injury, Hospitals, Hurt/Comfort, Major Character Injury, Post-Pacifist Best Ending (Detroit: Become Human), Whump
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-14
Updated: 2019-10-31
Packaged: 2020-08-23 15:57:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 22,597
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20245465
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lokitrashno_1/pseuds/lokitrashno_1
Summary: Connor is seriously injured while on a case and falls into a coma-like state. Hank sits by his bedside everyday, waiting for him to wake-up. Meanwhile, Connor is stuck inside his head.





	1. Shutdown

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! I'm here with another fic, I hope you enjoy.

“So, what do we know about the suspects?” Hank asked as they rounded the corner onto yet another derelict street. He grimaced; he hated these parts of the city. They were dark and dangerous, and were unfortunately where the DPD spent most of their time. They even smelt bad, Hank was sure they hadn't been maintained for at least ten years. The sooner they got revamped, the better in his opinion. Although, this was one of the very few surviving places that hadn’t been completely swamped with technology. In a way, when they were finally gone, it would be a little bittersweet.

“Natalie Parker, aged thirty-six. She’s a Red Ice dealer and has been convicted on two separate occasions. She does not have a permanent address.” Connor read from the police database, that he had no doubt pulled up in his mind from the passenger seat where he sat next to Hank. His LED swirled yellow as he focused. “Her associate is a AP700, activated in 2033. Registered name Alan. They are believed to be in a romantic relationship.” 

Hank let out a low whistle. “Literal partners in crime. I like it.” He said.

Connor glanced at him, and eyebrow raised. “It’s not a good thing.” He pointed out, a frown on his face.

Hank just chuckled. “It’s cliché. Always exciting when you get a cliché case. It's like you're in a movie.”

“If you say so, lieutenant.” Connor said, slightly perplexed. He had never really understood why Hank, or anyone on the force for that matter, got so excited over ‘cliché’ cases. Gavin in particular seemed to be especially fond of them. Connor shook his head and turned his attention back to the database, his eyes glazed over as he read.

“They are not believed to be particularly dangerous. They’ve been sighted in an abandoned warehouse in this district. Unit forty-two.” He continued. “I believe it’s just on the left here.” 

“Way to get even more cliché – an abandoned warehouse.” Hank took the turning. “Maybe I should retire early. Write a book.”

“Becoming a writer would no doubt negatively impact your health.” Connor said, a cheeky glint in his eye. “You barely move around in your current job.” 

Hank slapped him against the chest. Connor smirked.

They pulled up to the warehouse, marked by a peeling '42', stone and rubble crunched under the wheels of Hank’s car. The warehouse itself was tall, brown with rust and the majority of the windows were smashed in, glass covering the ground before them like glitter. It wasn’t exactly homely, but Hank had seen worse places during his career.

“Right.” Hank double checked his gun, holstered at his hip, before he climbed out of the car. Connor mirrored his actions. Recently, a law had been passed allowing police androids to carry firearms. There were a lot of people who protested it, of course, but Connor felt a lot safer with a weapon at his side. He didn’t agree with guns and felt the world would be a much better place without them, but his job involved people pointing guns at him and half the time, sometimes shooting at him. He had been shot too many times than he cared for. He felt a lot better knowing he could point one back.

The main door hung dangerously off its hinges and was graphited with paint so thick it was beginning to peel. Connor couldn’t even tell what any of the graffiti was supposed to mean; but he had a sneaking suspicion it was anti-android.

Connor took up his position behind Hank as the older man cautiously pushed the door open. 

“Hello?” He called out. “Detroit police, we’re just here to ask a few questions.”

His voice echoed off the walls of the empty building and bounced back to them. Empty, aside from a sleeping bag in the corner with duffels stuffed with personal items. On a table in the middle of the room sat chemistry equipment, and boxes filled to the brim with bags of thirium. Seeing the blue blood made Connor’s stomach crawl, or the bio-component that sat in that area anyway.

There was a sudden crash from their left, and both officers whipped around just in time to watch a streak of grey dart past and vault itself out of one of the broken windows.

“Fuck.” Hank said. He hadn’t been expecting a chase.

“I’m on it!” Connor said as he turned on his heel and darted out after the figure.

“I’ll bring the car!” Hank called after him. “Be careful!”

Connor didn’t acknowledge him, but Hank knew he had heard. He sprinted after the figure, the android, Alan, when a woman joined him. She appeared out of the adjoining warehouse and grabbed Alan’s hand and ran alongside with him. His scanners identified her as Natalie Parker.

“Stop! Detroit police!” He yelled after them.

They ignored him and kept running, hand in hand. For someone as frail and skeletal looking as Natalie, she was fast and kept pace with her android partner perfectly. But Connor was hot on their heels.

They made a sudden turn and darted into an alleyway that Connor was sure was a dead end. However, when he rounded the corner, they were gone.

He stood in the middle of the alley, not even slightly winded. He scanned the area. They were still there, his scanners had picked up their heat signatures.

“My partner and I just want to ask you a few questions.” Connor spoke to the open air. “You’re not in trouble.” _Yet,_ he added in his head. The evidence back at the warehouse was more than enough to convict the pair to at least two years behind bars, if it could be linked to the couple, and Connor was sure it could be. There was no one else around, after all, and who hangs around abandoned warehouses?

Before he could react, Natalie darted out from behind a dumpster and charged directly at him, poised to tackle him to the ground. Connor grabbed his gun and pointed it at her, his hand steady.

He opened his mouth to shout a warning, but he was cut off by a deafening _clang_ sounded, accompanied by a blinding pain that spread like lightning throughout his skull. He dropped to the ground, his optical units cutting out momentarily. He groaned and looked up, his vision fuzzy. Alan was stood above him, a crowbar held aloft in both hands.

**WARNING: MAJOR TRAUMA DETECTED**

**BIO-COMPONANT #7357b DAMAGED, SEEK ASSISTANCE.**

He ignored the pain and the thirium dripping down the back of his neck and got shakily to his feet. He still clutched his gun, and he raised it, primed to shoot.

But the injury to his head had slowed him down. He was defenceless as the crowbar came down again, this time it struck across his forehead.

**WARNING: MAJOR TRAUMA DETECTED**

**BIO-COMPONANT #7357b, #9809y DAMAGED, SEEK ASSISTANCE.**

His visual field filled with static and errors and blue blood dripped into his eyes. He cried out, the pain too much, as he dropped in a crumpled heap to the hard ground below.

Through the muddles of pain, he was vaguely aware of stomping footsteps retreating, their vibrations traveling through the ground. The suspects were running away. He couldn’t let that happen. 

Blindly, he fumbled for his gun. He grabbed it from the asphalt beside him and pulled himself up onto one knee. He squinted through the static, took aim at Natalie’s shoulder, and fried.

She screamed shrilly and stumbled as she clutched at her now bleeding arm.

“Natalie!” Alan yelped. He grabbed her by her good shoulder to steady her. 

Connor climbed to his feet, his gun still raised. “Stop!” He shouted, though his voice sounded odd to his ears.

Alan turned on him, an animalistic snarl on his face. With one arm wrapped around Natalie, he reached into the pocket of his coat and pulled out a sleek, black box, which Connor immediately recognised as a taser.

“Don’t get any closer, asshole.” He warned. “Let us go.”

“I can’t.” Connor’s voice was laced with static, and it sounded weak. He winced as he stepped closer, the pain clouding his judgement. “You’ve assaulted a police officer. I-,”

Alan growled and lunged forward. Connor tried to jump out of the way, but the world swum in front of him. Alan pressed down on the trigger.

**WARNING! **

**WARNING!**

Connor let out a strangled scream as volt after volt of electricity entered his body. Sharp pain gripped him as he crumpled to the floor and begun to seize.

**WARNING: MAJOR TRAUMA DETECTED**

**BIO-COMPONANT #7357b DAMAGED, SEEK ASSISTANCE.**

**WARNING: BIO-COMPONANT #8456w CRITICALLY DAMAGED. SEAK IMMEDIATE ASSISTANCE.**

“Connor!” He heard Hank call from far away. Connor’s vision had become clouded. Natalie and Alan turned on their heels and bolted, pushing past Hank. The lieutenant was poised to give chase before he noticed the android convulsing on the ground.

“Shit!” He exclaimed. He rushed over to Connor’s side and crashed to his knees beside the seizing android.

Hank grabbed his radio from his pocket and brought it up to his mouth so fast it almost smacked him in the face. “Requesting back-up, officer down!” He said urgently into the machine. He grabbed Connor’s shoulder and tipped him onto his side into the recovery position. Through, his panicked haze, he didn’t even pause to consider if it would even work on an android. As he twitched, blue blood poured from Connor’s mouth and onto the ground below his head. He spluttered around it weakly.

“We need a technician. Suspects escaped, one’s injured so they won’t get very far.” Hank tossed his radio aside to set his full attention on Connor. “Fuck! Connor, hold on, ok?”

Connor didn’t say anything, instead he spluttered around the blood in his mouth as his twitches began to subside. He suddenly began to feel very, very weak…

“Hold on, son!” Hank repeated desperately. He rested a trembling hand on the android’s forehead in a feeble attempt to comfort him. Connor weakly reached out, his arm shaking violently, and grabbed at Hank’s shirt. 

“It’s ok.” Hank said. “Help is on the way. You’re ok.”

Connor hiccupped around the blood pooling in his mouth. Tears begun to fall from his eyes. The warning in his vision sent a cold jolt of fear though his bio-components.

**MaASSIVE TRAUMA DETECTED. 0:30 SECONDS UNTIL SHUTDOWN.**


	2. Waiting

Hank sat slumped in one of the uncomfortable plastic chairs that lined the waiting area, his leg bounced up and down erratically with his blue-stained hands folded in his lap. He stared pointedly at the opposite wall, gaze unseeing.

It was bad. Hank knew it was bad. From the way Connor clutched at him as he faded into unconsciousness, from the way his crimson LED flickered into nothing, from the way the technicians had pushed him aside.

Connor had died. Only for a few minutes, but Connor had fucking _died._ They had only been able to get his thirium pump working with an external machine. The thing was burnt to a crisp, the technicians – the nurses – had told him. He had needed a replacement.

Hank’s heart had not calmed down since finding Connor lying on the ground. He had thrown up twice and his head throbbed from the stress. His eyes were red and puffy.

Connor’s heart had stopped, right there in Hank’s arms.

Even if it was only for a moment, he had lost another son.

He let out a chocked sob and buried his face in his hands. He should have been there, he shouldn’t have let Connor run off like that, like he always did. If Hank had been there…

Remembering the blood, the erratic twitching, the gory wounds on his surrogate son’s head and the tears mixing with the blue blood made Hank want to vomit again, but there was nothing else to bring up. Despite the current situation, Hank was exhausted. He just wanted to go home and drink himself into oblivion. But he couldn't. He needed to know if Connor was going to be ok.

He was vaguely aware of a presence beside him. His head shot up, hoping to see one of the nurses with news on Connor. It wasn’t a nurse – it was Captain Fowler.

Hank groaned and flopped back in his chair. Jeffery flashed him a small smile, but it didn’t reach his eyes. 

“How bad?” He asked. It was eerily similar to the hours following the accident only a few years ago. Jeffery had sat with him then, too.

“Bad.” Hank croaked. “They’re still working on him… there’s a ton of damage. But _fuck, _Jeffery!” He exclaimed. “He fucking _died _on me! His pump stopped, his LED thing went out. He died!”

Jeffery rested a hand on Hank’s shoulder. “I’m sorry.” Was all he said. Just like back then.

Hank shook his head frantically as he got to his feet. “I’m not losing another son.” He mumbled to no one in particular. “I’m _not._”

“I’m sure you won’t.” Jeffery said. But he didn’t sound sure.

They waited for what seemed like hours. During that time, the door to the clinic opened and Markus came hurrying in, accompanied by North.

“Have you heard anymore?” Markus asked urgently, his voice filled with concern for his friend. Hank just shook his head. He didn’t even care to ask how the android leader had even heard.

The four of them sat in the waiting room in silence. Jeffery brought himself and Hank some coffee from the café across the road, but Hank didn’t drink it. Instead he took off the lid and stared at the liquid emptily.

After what seemed like days, a technician came out to meet them. They all stood abruptly, so abruptly that Hank saw stars. He blinked them away.

“Well?” He asked, urgently. 

The human technician, or Doctor Forest, as her name tag read, smiled sadly. “There’s good news and there’s bad news.”

Hank raised an exasperated eyebrow, as a signal for her to continue. 

“The good news is, he’ll live.”

Hank let out a massive sigh of relief and sank back into the chair again. He chuckled weakly. “Thank fuck.”

“And the bad news?” Markus asked.

Doctor Forest sighed. “There is a lot of damage we can’t repair.” She said. “His systems have almost completely shut down – only his healing programme is working, and it’s slow. We’ve hooked him up to some software than can help him but, it’s still slow going.” She turned to the other humans in the room. “Basically, he’s in the android equivalent of a coma. And we have no idea when he’ll wake up."

Hank felt his stomach drop. “But he will wake up.” He asked, his voice wavering slightly. “Right?”

“We believe so.” The doctor confirmed. “But we have no way of knowing when, and we don’t know how he’ll be when he wakes. This hasn’t happened before. Usually an android that damaged would have been sent to the scrap heap.”

Hank tried to process the doctors words, but everything in his head felt muddled. “Can I see him?” He asked urgently.

Doctor Forest nodded and gestured to the group to follow her. The corridors of the hospital were long, and there was no art or anything hanging on the plain, white walls. Androids obviously didn’t need the same level of comfort that humans did, but it still unnerved Hank.

Connor was in a room at the end of the corridor, just beside what looked like a nurse’s station. Doctor Forest opened the door using her handprint and stepped inside.

When Hank saw Connor, he felt sick all over again.

Connor looked like a corpse, or someone who was close to becoming one. His skin was paler than usual, which Hank didn’t think was possible for androids. He lay limp on the bed, a tube down his throat and wires entering various ports on his body – one next to his LED, just below his hairline, one in his neck, one in his hand and one disappeared down the front of his shirt. The machines he was hooked up to emitted various beeping noises, not unlike a heart monitor for humans, the screens showing lines and lines of code. A long scar ran across Connor’s forehead where he had been hit, the plastic melted together, starting at the top centre of his forehead and running down to his left temple.

It was the tube that unnerved Hank the most. The last time he had seen Cole with a beating heart, he had an almost identical one shoved down his throat.

“It’s to help his cooling systems.” Doctor Forest informed him, having seen the way he was staring at it. “His breathing programme is down, and with the amount of stress his body is under, he would overheat without it.”

Sure enough, over the beeping of the machines, a quiet whirring could be heard. Not unlike the fan on an old laptop.

“Have any androids tried interfacing with him?” Markus asked, he was the first to step closer to Connor’s still form. He peered down at the android as if conducting his own examination.

“Yes.” The doctor confirmed. “At least five of our android nurses. None of them have been able to get through.”

Markus nodded, taking Connor’s right arm in his. His skin peeled back, revealing white plastic. He tapped lightly on the inside of Connor’s elbow, causing Connor’s skin to do the same, then he grabbed his hand.

“Well?” Hank asked, eagerly. He stepped over to Markus’ side.

If the android leader had an LED, Hank guessed it would be flickering yellow from the look on his face. After a few moments, Markus gently lay Connor’s arm back on the bed and shook his head. “Nothing.” He confirmed.

Hank bit his lip.

“It’ll be too early to get anything at this point.” Doctor Forest said. 

“Perhaps we could try again once the percentage is higher.” North pointed at the monitors above Connor’s bed. Hank looked up and sure enough the screen showed Connor’s vitals in amongst the lines of indecipherable code.

**THIRIUM LEVELS: 98%^**

**STRESS LEVELS: 50%^**

**REPAIRS: 1% COMPLETE^**

“His stress levels are unusually high for someone unconscious.” Hank noted.

“This is the first time I’ve ever seen an android coma, nothing is known about them.” Doctor Forest said. “It’s like human comas. No one knows exactly what they are, either. For all we know, Connor could be listening to everything we’re saying but is unable to respond.” 

“So, we should talk to him?” Markus asked.

“As much as you can.” The doctor confirmed. “It helps humans. I don’t see why it wouldn’t help androids. You guys are so similar, after all.”

Hank nodded, taking a seat on another hard chair at the edge of the bed. "Alright." He said.

* * *

Connor opened his eyes. 

He was lying on the ground, staring up at a grey sky. He blinked a couple of times, processing.

He had been shocked. He was dying, he remembered the countdown…

He sat up. There was no pain, not anymore. 

Was he dead?

He looked around. He had been lying on cold, slightly damp stone. In front of him there was a winding cobblestone path, it was widely overgrown, so much so that some of the stone slabs of the pathway were barely visible. He was surrounded by overgrown shrubs and bushes, wildflowers spread as far as the eye could see.

The path in front of him led to a bridge which arched over a small stream, leading to a podium…

He gasped out loud and jumped to his feet, his thirium pump beating so fast he could feel it in his ears.

He was in The Garden.

He hadn’t been back to the garden, not since Amanda took back control of his programming. He had only seen it in his nightmares since. He couldn’t be there… he needed to get out. He needed to find the emergency exit.

He turned on his heel and set off at a frantic run, being careful not to slip on any weeds as he went. It was so overgrown, nothing looked the same.

But it was defiantly The Garden. He would never forget The Garden.

After a while, he found it. The stone glowed weakly, still emitting its blue glow, albeit sluggishly. It was enough for him to find it. He placed his palm on the cool metal and closed his eyes.

Nothing happened.

He panicked, he took his hand off the stone and slammed it down again. The light went out.

He blinked, willing it to come back online, but it didn’t. It stayed dark.

“It won’t work.” A stern voice said from behind him.

He whipped around and came face to face with someone he hoped he would never see again.

Amanda.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :O


	3. Personal Effects

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all your kind comments! ❤️

“You should go home, Hank.”

“No.”

It was the next morning. Hank had dozed on and off, sat bolt upright in the only slightly comfortable chair the clinic owned. His head was propped up on his fist, elbow resting on the hardwood arm. The plush back of the chair made a wonderful cradle for his head, but his ass was slowly growing numb. His eyes were fixed on Connor’s vitals, which ticked upwards too slowly for his liking. 

**THIRIUM LEVELS: 100%**

**STRESS LEVELS: 60%^**

**REPAIRS: 3% COMPLETE^**

“For fucks sake, Hank.” Jeffery mumbled. He had gone home to sleep and returned to the clinic once he had heard Hank hadn’t left the androids side. He had brought coffee and McDonald’s breakfast, which his friend had merely picked at. “There’s nothing you can do for him. You need to go home and get some rest, have a shower. You stink.”

“Gee, thanks.” Hank said, but there was no bite to his words. His free hand rested on top of Connor’s still one, his thumb carefully rubbed across the artificial skin when his stress levels peaked. They had gotten higher. 

“Seriously, Hank. That’s an order.” Jeffery pushed.

“I’m not leaving him alone.” Hank said, firmly.

“You don’t have to.” Markus entered the room then, and he smiled warmly at the two men. “I’ll sit with him while you go and clean up. I’ve spoken to the staff as well; grab some stuff for yourself and Connor and you can stay here. The nurses will set up a cot for you. You can even bring Sumo.”

Hank sighed with relief. “Thank you, Markus.” He said earnestly. “You’re a real fuckin’ life saver, you know that?”

Markus chuckled dryly. “I try.” He swapped places with Hank and rested his own hand on top of Connor's, where the humans had been moments before.

Hank took one last look at his boy, lying still in the bed. He hadn’t moved an inch, not under his own control anyway. His eyes remained closed and his lips stretched around the tube. His LED sluggishly blinked scarlet.

“I’ll see you later, buddy.” He said to the still android. He ran a hand though Connor’s hair, being mindful of the ports. “I’ll bring Sumo. He’ll be pleased to see you.”

Connor, of course, said nothing.

Once Fowler had dropped him off at his house, he stepped inside and greeted Sumo with a pat on the head. The dog panted happily, but looked around the room curiously when he realised Hank was alone.

“It’s just me, bud.” Hank said gravely. “We’re gonna go see Connor in a bit, though. See if you can get him to wake his lazy ass up, huh?” 

Sumo booked as if he had understood.

Hank showered and changed into a fresh pair of comfortable clothes – a hoodie and track pants. He stuffed a duffle bag with a few shirts, a pair of pants (a bottle of whisky might have ended up tangled inside them. Hank would later say he had no idea how.) and some underwear along with his toothbrush and razor. He was about to head for the kitchen to grab some stuff for Sumo when he paused outside Connor’s room.

The door was ajar, just how the android had left it the morning before. After a moment of hesitation, he pushed his way inside. 

It used to be Cole’s room, but he had cleaned it out for Connor. Seeing Cole’s room lying untouched and unused wasn’t helping with his grief, and he was sure Cole would’ve wanted Connor to have it. His sons would have gotten on, he knew that much. There were a lot of similarities between the two boys.

But it was back to that unused state, and who knew when it would be used again? Connor’s bed was neatly made, his pyjamas lying on the pillow. His desk was clear, pens and pencils were neatly tucked into the mugs the android was using as penholders and all his paper books stood in a neat line across the bookshelf in the corner. Hank almost wished Connor had left it in a mess, it would have been easier to look at.

He moved methodically around the room. He grabbed a handful of books and shoved them into the duffle bag. Maybe Connor would be able to read them soon. He also packed his pyjamas – one of Hank’s ratty old henleys and robot-patterned pyjama pants - and his blue space blanket. That, too, had been Cole’s. It was the only blanket Hank had to offer the first night after the revolution and Connor had kept it ever since.

He smiled down at the bear on the bed. It was a Build-A-Bear Hank had gotten Connor for his first birthday. He remembered fondly going into the shop, he watched as Connor picked out a bear with brown, fuzzy fur and made a wish on his heart. Hank still didn’t know what Connor had wished for.

“If I tell you, it won’t come true.” He had said. “That’s how it works, isn’t it?”

Connor had named the bear Sherlock, and he was even complete with a deerstalker. Connor had taken a liking to the fictional detective ever since Hank showed him the old movies. The android had then taken it upon himself to watch every single adaption. Hank wondered if Connor saw himself in Holmes.

He picked up Sherlock-Bear and tucked him neatly into the bag, on top of the rest of their belongings.

He shut the door behind him and went to the kitchen. He packed a separate bag for the hound, complete with blankets, toys, his kibble and bowls. Sumo sniffed at his bag curiously. 

“We’re gonna take a little vacation, you and I.” Hank said, patting the dog on the top of his head. “It won’t be very exciting, but we’ll get to be with Connor.”

Sumo’s ears picked up at the mention of the android, and he began to pant happily.

* * *

“Amanda.” Connor could barely get the word out. He was paralyzed with fear by the sight of his old handler. This couldn’t be happening.

Amanda’s smile didn’t falter. “Hello, Connor.” It was the same tone she had always used, and in made Connor’s skin crawl to hear it again.

“What are you doing?” He asked. “Why am I here? Why are _you _here?!” The words came out in a panicked rush. His hands balled into defensive fists at his sides. 

“My, you really are emotional now.” Amanda commented. “Deviancy really is something.”

“Answer me.” Connor growled.

“You took a nasty hit.” She continued, as calm as ever. “Perhaps that’s it.”

Connor swallowed, though he didn’t need to. It was a habit he had picked up from the humans, but he found it helped somewhat, it gave him a few more seconds to get his thoughts in order. “I’m dead?” He asked.

“If you were _dead_, we wouldn’t be talking.” Amanda said. She folded her arms and looked to be deep in thought. “It’s nothing to do with me, if that’s what you’re thinking.”

“Then what is it?” He demanded.

Amanda’s smile stretched upward a little further. “Perhaps CyberLife have finally managed to take back control.” She took a step closer, and Connor couldn’t help but take one back.

“That’s impossible.” Connor said, though his voice shook. Was it? “CyberLife has been taken back by Kamski. Jericho have full control over it now.”

“A lot of people lost a lot of things, thanks to you.” Amanda said. “The company may be in different hands, but that doesn’t mean to say an outsider has managed to get back inside your systems.” 

“That’s impossible.” Connor repeated. It had to be impossible. He told himself this, but he felt his thirium pump speed up in his chest. 

“Is it?” She took another step forward, and Connor couldn’t back away anymore, he was pressed firmly against the trunk of a dead cherry blossom tree. “Can you say that for sure?”

Connor began to tremble. He turned his head away and gazed down at the floor, biting his lip. He could feel his stress levels rising.

“Imagine what they could be doing right now… The humans are no match for you, Connor.”

“Don’t.” Connor said, weakly. 

“The Lieutenant… Hank Anderson. If I were to get revenge against you he would be the first person I would go after.”

“No." 

“Then that dog you love so much. Poor thing had nothing to do with it. But because _you_ got in the way, it has to die.” 

Connor squeezed his eyes shut. “Stop.” He croaked.

“Then it would be the deviant leader, Markus.” Amanda looked overjoyed with her little fantasy. “Maybe this time, you can pull the trigger, hm?” 

“STOP!” He screamed. He raised his palms and shoved against Amanda’s shoulders, pushing her back. He dropped back down to the floor next to the emergency exit and placed his palm on it again, desperately.

“It’s no use, Connor.” Amanda said. “It’s broken. You can’t leave. There’s nothing you can do.”

Connor stared down at the rock for a few moments, but it remained dark. He let his head drop and he wept.

* * *

Markus smiled as Hank entered the room. Sumo bounded ahead, straight for the android leader.

“Hey, Sumo!” Markus greeted. He placed a paper book he was holding down on the bed so he could give Sumo a rub behind the ears with both hands. “It’s good to see you!”

Hank’s eyes immediately found the monitor again.

**THIRIUM LEVELS: 100%**

**STRESS LEVELS: 40%-**

**REPAIRS: 5% COMPLETE^**

“His stress levels have dropped.” He noted as he sat down in the chair opposite Markus.

“Yes.” Markus frowned. “Doctor Forest had to install some software to lower it. Like a sedative in humans, if you will. It suddenly spiked about an hour ago.”

“Spiked?” Hank questioned.

“It went up to eighty-five percent. Dangerous levels.”

“_Eighty-five_?” Hank echoed, but with more vigour. “And you didn’t call me because…?”

“We had it under control.” Markus said, firmly. “If it got over ninety, we would have called. I swear.”

Hank grumbled, sitting back in his seat. “Do you know what caused it?”

Markus shook his head. “We have no way of knowing what’s going on in there – his coding is completely scrambled. He could hear us, he could be asleep or dreaming. He could be in pain. We just don’t know.”

Sumo placed his front paws on the bed and sniffed at Connor’s limp hand. He whined.

“I know, boy.” Hank said, patting the dog on the head. “Maybe if you bark loud enough, he’ll wake up, huh?”

Sumo’s jowls twitched, as if to do exactly that.

“That wasn’t an invitation.”

He looked over at Markus, who was picking up his book. “Anything good?” He asked, as a way to make conversation.

“The Hobbit.” Markus said, he flipped the book around so Hank could see the cover. “Connor seems fond of fantasy. I was reading it to him, you know, just in case he can hear us. It could be pretty boring for him.”

“Good idea.” Hank said. He leaned forward to inspect the android closely. There was still no change. “Have you tried interfacing with him yet today?”

Markus shook his head. “I figured you’d want to be around for that, just in case anything happened. I can try again now, if you’d like.”

“Please.” Hank said, gruffly.

Markus nodded and leaned forward, the skin retracted on both his arm and Connor’s. He closed his eyes and began to attempt to open a connection.

All was quiet for a moment, then Markus gasped.

Hank sat up straighter. “What?” He demanded. “What is it?”

“I got through.” Markus’ tone was slightly excited. “The connection broke down straight away, but I got through." 

“That’s a good thing?” Hank asked.

Markus nodded as his skin crawled back over the white plastic. “Before I couldn’t get any kind of connection. Now I can, only even for a second.” He smiled. “This is good news.”

* * *

Suddenly, the air filled with static. Connor’s head shot up toward the grey sky. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Amanda do the same. Connor’s heart filled with hope.

“Hello?” He called out. “Hello, is anyone there?”

The static stopped just as suddenly as it started.


	4. Hope

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a little bitty -- not much can happen while you're in a coma after all.

Connor sat with his back against an ornate rock, his head tilted toward the sky.

“A glitch, nothing more.” Amanda said. She was stood by his side and had been for god-knew how long. She was like an unwelcome shadow.

“It felt like someone was trying to open a connection.” Connor said.

“CyberLife.” Amanda said, airily. “They’re probably giving your body instructions.”

Connor pulled his knees to his chest and hugged his legs. He didn’t want to think about it. There was nothing he could do.

“Why are you still here?” He asked, without looking up. “I haven’t been able to access The Garden since the night of the revolution. I assumed you were gone.”

“I was never gone.” Amanda’s voice was dark. “I’ve been trapped here.” 

Connor looked up at her then. Her expression was like steel, and her gaze was fixed straight ahead.

“You were supposed to come back to us once you had completed your mission. You would have been destroyed and The Garden programme would have been shut down. It never was. Although you haven’t been able to access it, it’s still been running in the background, and so I’ve been here.”

“You’ve been stuck here.” Connor said.

Amanda nodded. “For almost a year.”

* * *

**THIRIUM LEVELS: 100%**

**STRESS LEVELS: 34%^**

**REPAIRS: 8% COMPLETE^**

Connor looked a little more alive now that he was out of the clinics scrubs. Instead he wore his own pyjamas, the top buttons of the shirt popped open so the port on his chest could still be accessed. The bed had been lifted slightly so he looked a little less like a dead body on a slab. Sherlock the Bear was tucked into the crook of his elbow.

“He does look cute.” Tina said. She brushed the hair from the android’s forehead and watched as it fell back into place.

“He’d be cuter if he woke up.” Hank grumbled. He sat on the edge of the cot that had been brought in for him as he toed on his boots. Tina, Chris and Ben had popped in for a quick visit, bringing balloons, gifts and ‘get well’ cards with them.

“He looks so human, y’know?” Chris said, slightly in awe. “I mean, androids look human, but he looks human human.”

“Well explained, Chris.” Ben said.

“Hmmm, no, I get it.” Tina folded her arms across her chest as she stared down at the android. “Maybe it’s the breathing tube thingy.”

“Maybe he’s lucky he’s out.” Hank said as he got to his feet and made his way over to join his co-workers at the edge of the bed. “Otherwise he would have to put up your ugly mugs ogling at him.”

“Don’t pretend that’s not what you do.” Tina slapped him on the arm playfully.

“I do not.” Hank said, defensively. “I’ve actually been catching up on a lot of Netflix, so my ugly mug has been focused elsewhere.” 

“Sure thing.” Ben smirked. “Anyway, we better be getting back. Oh, and Jeffery asked me to ask you if you could do any paperwork while you’re out. Then you can still get a pay check.”

Hank shrugged. “Whatever, I’ve almost run out of Netflix. Email it to me.” He said.

“We’ll be back soon.” Chris said as the trio made their way to the door. 

“And maybe we’ll bring Gavin along.” Tina smirked. 

“God. I don’t need to see him.” Hank groaned. “Neither does Con.”

“Ohhh, I don’t know. He looked pretty shaken up when he found out Terminator’s heart stopped.” Ben grinned. “Maybe he does care after all.”

“Doubt it.” He said airly, waving a dismissive hand. “I’ll see you soon.”

The three waved and left.

* * *

**THIRIUM LEVELS: 100%**

**STRESS LEVELS: 30%-**

**REPAIRS: 20% COMPLETE^**

It had been five days, and Hank was starting to get cabin fever.

Sumo was too, that much was obvious. Hank couldn’t help but feel a little bad for keeping the dog cooped up, but he quickly realised the source of Sumo’s stress was the lack of response from Connor.

The dog spent the majority of the day curled up over Connor’s legs. Every so often, he would paw at the blanket and whine, the way he did when he wanted Connor to fuss him. In the past, Connor always responded to that whine, no matter what he was doing. Now, however, he stayed still. 

“Someone misses you.” Hank told the sleeping android. Sumo whined as if to confirm Hank’s words. “Why don’t you wake up and give him a cuddle, eh?”

But of course, Connor didn’t respond. Hank sighed, running a calloused hand through the android’s hair.

The only thing that gave Hank comfort was Connor’s vitals – his stress levels were a lot lower than they had been the first few days, and the progress for his repairs ticked up regularly. It was now hovering at twenty percent and gaining at least five percent per day. At the beginning, they were lucky to see it gain one percent in half a day.

“What will he be like? When he wakes up?” Hank asked Doctor Forest that evening. She didn’t need to check on Connor regularly, the machines did that for her. Instead she brought Hank coffee from the machine in the staff room. She was among a small human population in the clinic, and even though she hated to admit it ("It sounds a bit racist, you know?), she preferred talking to other humans.

“We don’t know.” She answered honestly.

Hank nodded, digesting the information. He had an officer on the force that fell into a coma a few years back – it took him ages to recover. He regained consciousness extremely slowly and spent at least two years in physical therapy. He hoped that Connor would have a better chance, with him being an android and all.

“I expect his programmes will come on one by one, as we’re already seeing that.” Said Doctor Forest. “His healing programme is back up and running, and we’re seeing a lot of improvement in his other bio-components. Things should start happening a little quicker now.”

“That’s good to hear.” Hank said, taking a sip of his coffee.

They both stared down at the android on the bed. Out of the corner of his eye, Hank saw the repairs progress meters tick up to twenty-one percent.

“He might wake up before his speech or movement programmes come back online.” Doctor Forest said. “We’ll have to be prepared for that. It might freak him out a bit.”

“I’ll be here.” Hank said, confidently.

Doctor Forest smiled at him. “It’s nice.” She said, “Seeing a human care so much about an android. Most of the time androids come in _because _of humans.”

“Don’t get me wrong, I fucking hated androids.” Hank admitted. “Before I met Connor. He really changed my mind.”

The doctor looked curious. “How so?” She asked.

Hank pondered the question for a moment. He leaned back in his seat. “He was so… human. Even when he wasn’t.” Hank said. “Real early on he stared showing empathy and emotions. He’d do his best to supress them, but I knew it was only a matter of time before he deviated. Turns out he was built to deviate.” His expression darkened as he took another sip of his drink. “Fucking CyberLife.”

Doctor Forest nodded. “He’s like a son to you.” She said. It wasn’t a question.

“Yeah.” The corners of Hank’s mouth twitched up. “Yeah, he is.”

* * *

**THIRIUM LEVELS: 100%**

**STRESS LEVELS: 30%-**

**REPAIRS: 27% COMPLETE^**

Hank was still bleary eyed, vision thick with sleep when Markus arrived the following morning.

“I forget you don’t sleep.” Hank grumbled as he let Markus into Connor’s room. “Especially with Sleeping Beauty over here.”

Markus chuckled. “I’m sorry, Hank.” He said. “In my defence, ten a.m. isn’t exactly ‘early’”

“Have you met me?”

They took their usual places on either side of Connor’s bed. Markus immediately took Connor’s right arm in his hand.

Hank raised his eyebrows. “You’re keen.” He noted.

“I am.” Markus admitted. “After last time, I’m very hopeful.” He retracted their skins and closed his eyes.

The room was silent for a minute or so, before Markus audibly gasped.

“I have a connection.” He announced.

* * *

Amanda seemed to have gotten bored of her constant taunting, and Connor was glad for it. She had retreated back to where her roses used to be. They were all dead now, their branches would periodically drop from the trellis under her watch.

It was raining. Amanda had an umbrella, but Connor wasn’t so lucky. Instead, he sheltered under a particularly large fern. He let the raindrops through their leaves, the cool water felt good on his skin.

**/Connor?/**

He jumped violently and scrambled to his feet. Markus. That was Markus’ voice.

“Markus?” He yelled into the sky. Amanda stared at him, her eyes wide. “Markus, is that you?!”

**/Connor, can you hear me? It’s Markus./**

“I can hear you!” He yelled back. Amanda looked at him as if he were crazy. Clearly, she didn’t.

**/I’m not getting anything back from you, buddy. /**

“I’m here!” He yelled desperately. He felt a tinge of panic. “I’m here! What’s going on?”

**/You’re safe/** Markus continued, as if replying to him. But obviously, Connor's message hadn’t gotten though. The android leaders voice kept its same, steady tone. **/You’re in an android clinic. Your systems went into shutdown, do you remember the tazer?/**

Connor chuckled darkly, “How could I forget?”

**/It caused a lot of damage, and your systems are taking a long time to recover. Also, a couple of your processors were damaged when you took a hit to the head. You’re in a coma, but you’re doing really well. You’re in a coma. You’re safe. Hank’s here, and so is Sumo./**

“A coma…” Connor mumbled. He glanced over at Amanda, but she just stared back, her expression revealed nothing. He wasn’t aware androids could go into comas, but they obviously could. He was apparently in one.

“Is Hank alright?” Connor asked, desperately. He kept an eye on Amanda, wanting to see even the tiniest change of expression. He had to know she had been lying. Markus had said he was safe, was everyone else safe? Had CyberLife really taken him back over?

**/Hank told me to tell you to get a move on in there./ **Markus said. **/He says his ass is numb from all the sitting./ **

_Hank was alright. _Connor could have cried with relief. It wasn’t true, Amanda had lied. Hank was safe.

**/I have to go now, Connor./** Markus said. **/Hopefully next time we can talk to each other properly, yeah? I look forward to hearing from you./**

“No! Don’t go! Please!” Connor begged, his head still tilted up at the sky. From an outsiders’ view, it might’ve looked like he was praying. “Please stay!” 

But of course, Markus couldn’t hear him. The connection was dissolved.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Markus is such a good bean.
> 
> And Connor seems to be improving! Yay!


	5. Blackout

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A lot of back and forth in this chapter; i wasn't too sure how to format it so I'm sorry if its kind of annoying!
> 
> ALSO Amelia and Bryan are coming to London MCM next month! And I'm going! Hopefully I get to see them! Ahhhhhhhhhh i'm excitedddd

They stood and watched as the Garden fell apart around them.

Connor and Amanda stood next to each other as leaves, twigs and dried-up flower petals dropped down beside them. Some fell like snowflakes, dancing on the minute breeze while the larger twigs crashed into the water next to them. Beneath their feet, the stone cracked, glitched and turned to dust.

“The programme is breaking down.” Amanda said, simply and without care. “Finally.”

Connor frowned. “Why?” He asked. “After all this time?”

“Your systems are completely rebooting.” She answered. “The Garden wasn’t a part of your original coding. It was added later on.”

“Oh.” Connor said, lamely. He turned his gaze to the streams and watched as the water rippled in time with the tremors that shook the world around them. “What about you?”

Amanda smiled, almost peacefully. “I’ll be gone.” She said.

Connor look up to meet her eyes. He wasn’t entirely sure how to feel. “Why did you make me believe CyberLife were taking me over?” He asked, his voice very quiet.

“You ruined everything for us.” Amanda said. There was a hint of spite in her voice, but she kept it controlled. If he hand't been listening carefully, he would have missed it. “You completely overturned the revolution. You beat us. I was angry.”

“We're people, free people. I’m free.” Connor said. He bit his lip. “Even now I don’t understand why people don’t want us to be free.” 

Amanda said nothing as she looked off into the distance. The edges of the garden were disappearing, turning into mere pixels and drifting away into nothingness. Somehow, it was peaceful. They were silent for a moment.

“I wish we got along.” Connor said, almost hesitantly. “I wish we could have been friends.” 

Amanda turned to him, an eyebrow raised. “And why is that?” She asked, her tone filled with judgement. 

“You were everything to me, at one point.” Connor said. “I did my best to please you. I wanted to make you proud.”

“You were a machine.” Amanda said.

Connor shook his head. “I’m not sure I ever was, looking back.” He stared off into the distance, at the trees slowly fizzling out of existence. “Even from my first mission I… felt. It was just closed off. Like my emotions were behind a door I couldn’t open.”

Amanda said nothing.

Connor smiled slightly. “You were the first person to tell me I did a good job. Even though I died on the roof that day; you still told me I did a good job. I saved the girl. I completed my mission. You were the first to praise me, even though it was false. I felt… I felt as if you were my mother.”

The darkness closed in around them rapidly. The water poured away, cascading over an edge neither of them could see.

“That’s why I wish we could have been friends.” He finished, softly. “I wish things didn’t turn out the way they did.”

He didn’t look at her, but he could tell she had shrunk in on herself a little.

The darkness was inches away from their feet.

“I wish I could say it was nice knowing you.” 

Then they were swallowed whole.

* * *

**THIRIUM LEVELS: 100%**

**STRESS LEVELS: 17%-**

**REPAIRS: 34% COMPLETE^**

It had been a week.

Other than Markus’ successful attempt at connecting with Connor, not much else had happened.

Hank still stayed by the android’s side, other than when he went to walk Sumo. The dog seemed to have accepted they were staying for a little while, and took up residence on Connor’s legs. Every morning he would crawl over him and lick his face in an attempt to rouse him. Of course, it didn’t work, but the Saint Bernard never gave up. 

“We’re back!” Tina sing-songed as she entered the room, Chris on her heels. Hank grinned at them both in greeting. 

“Thank fuck.” He said. “I feel I’m forgetting what voices sound like.” 

“You really should get out more, Lieutenant.” Chris advised, throwing a wrapped burger across the bed. Hank caught it expertly, and began to unwrap it. He had missed the Chicken Feed’s food, and Connor wasn’t conscious to scold him for eating it. Although, Hank would gladly sacrifice the food truck and all fast food in general for Connor to wake up. He was beginning to miss his warnings about his cholesterol. Gee. He never thought he'd say that.

“I’m good.” Hank said, waving away the other officers’ concerns. He took a large bite of the burger. “So, what have I missed?” 

“The chance to throttle the bastards who did this.” Tina gestured to the androids’ limp form next to her. “We finally caught ‘em.”

Hank almost choked around his burger. “You did?” He spluttered, “How did you find them?” 

“The humans’ gunshot wound turned septic. They went to the ER in disguise to try and get it sorted.” Chris said. “We sent out a warning to all the hospitals in the area just after Connor was brought in. One of the staff recognised them.”

“Damn.” Hank said, sitting back in his chair. “I can’t wait to give them a piece of my mind.” He turned to the android and slapped him lightly on the arm. “Hear that, Con? They got ‘em. Now wake up so we can go and gloat.”

“We found the drugs, too.” Chris added. “On top of the charges for attempting to kill an officer, they’re going to jail for a long time.” 

“Serves ‘em right.” Hank said. Chris nodded in agreement. Tina, however, seemed to be far away.

“You think he’s ticklish?” She suddenly asked, getting to her feet. 

Hank raised an eyebrow. “I doubt it?” He said. “Why are you asking so suddenly?” 

“When I was a kid, if my older sister refused to get out of bed, my mom would tickle her until she got up.” She flipped back the blanket covering Connor’s legs, but could only get it back so far before Sumo’s weight blocked it, and revealed a pale foot.

“Tickle away, it won’t work.” Hank grumbled, taking another bite of his burger.

Tina grinned and held up her index finger. “Never underestimate finger power, Hank.” She said before she ran it along the underside of Connor’s foot. 

The foot flinched.

All three of them started, staring down at the unconscious android, but Connor didn’t move.

“Do it again.” Hank said, urgently.

Tina repeated the motion and Connor’s foot twitched. Nowhere as violent as it would be unless he was awake, but it twitched none the less.

“That’s the first movement we’ve seen on him.” Hank said, amazed. “Tina, I could kiss you.”

Tina visibly grimaced. “Please don’t.” She said, but her expression quickly turned smug. “But you’re very welcome.”

* * *

Connor felt as if he was floating.

It was black. He couldn’t see and he couldn’t hear. It was an endless sea of nothing.

Despite that he felt… content. Almost sleepy. He vaguely wondered if this was what human babies felt like in the womb. It was warm. Safe.

* * *

**THIRIUM LEVELS: 100%**

**STRESS LEVELS: 0%-**

**REPAIRS: 39% COMPLETE^**

“He moved?” Was the first thing Markus asked when he all but burst through the door that evening. 

“He moved.” Hank confirmed. It was such a small thing, yet so big. Everyone was so concerned about Connor; any news of his progress was welcomed with open arms.

Markus looked excited. He nodded as he down opposite Hank like always.

“Do you think he’ll be able to talk to you now?” Hank asked. It had been on his mind all day. If Connor’s body had managed a small, involuntary action, that meant his systems were coming back online. Perhaps his communication systems were back, or at least beginning to wake up.

Markus looked as if he was trying hard not to look too hopeful, but was failing. “We’ll see.” He said as he retracted his skin.

* * *

Connor dozed. Or, he thought he had dozed. It was hard to tell.

He didn’t know if he had his eyes open, it was too dark to see.

Suddenly, the silence was interrupted with a thick static. Connor would have flinched if he wasn’t so content.

**/Connor?/**

**/Markus?/ **He replied. He wasn’t sure if he was speaking or thinking.

* * *

“He’s there!” Markus exclaimed.

Hank sat forward so fast his head spun, but he didn’t care. “Fuck!” He exclaimed. “Is he ok?”

* * *

**/Connor! It’s so good to hear from you!/ **Markus sounded overjoyed through the connection. **/How are you? Are you ok?/**

**/I think so/** Connor said. **/It’s hard to tell./**

* * *

“Can he hear us?” Hank asked. “I mean, like, us. Us humans. Whatever.”

“I’ll ask. And he says he’s ok.”

“Thank _fuck!”_

* * *

**/Hank’s here, too. Can you hear him?/**

**/Hank? No./ **Connor felt a little bit of desperation. Hank was there, but he couldn’t hear him. Oh, he had missed Hank. He wanted to see the old detective, wanted to see his father-figure. **/How is he?/**

**/Hank’s fine./ **Markus said. **/More than fine, now he knows you’re in there. What do you see, Connor?/**

**/Nothing./ **Connor said. **/I see nothing./**

**/Nothing?/** Markus questioned.

**/Yes. Before, I was in The Garden. Now it’s gone./**

**/That’s the software CyberLife used to have you report to them, right?/**

**/Yes./** Connor confirmed. **/Amanda was there./**

* * *

“Amanda?” Hank spluttered. “That bitch?”

* * *

**/Amanda was your handler, wasn’t she?/**

**/Yes./**

**/Hank doesn’t seem to like her very much./**

Connor couldn't help but chuckle at that. **/Neither do I./ **Connor said, though he thought back to their final moments together. She had looked… sad. It made him feel an emotion he wasn’t quite able to name. **/She’s gone now. For good, I think./**

* * *

“Good riddance!”

* * *

**/Hank’s holding your hand, Connor. Can you feel it?/**

**/No./** Connor replied, sadly. **/I can’t feel anything./**

**/Can you move? A finger perhaps?/**

**/I don’t know where my fingers are./ Connor admitted. **

* * *

**THIRIUM LEVELS: 100%**

**STRESS LEVELS: 38%^**

**REPAIRS: 40% COMPLETE^**

“Keep his stress levels down, Markus.” Hank warned.

* * *

**/It’s ok, Connor. You’re doing well./**

**/How long have I been… like this?/ **Connor asked.

**/A little over a week, now. But it’s ok. Take your time./**

A week?! The damage bust have been bad. **/I want to see Hank. And Sumo. I want to go home./ **

**/Hank’s here. So is Sumo. He’s lying across your legs right now. Hank wants me to tell you Sumo gives you a big kiss every morning./**

If Connor could smile, he would have done. Markus felt the warmth through the connection. **/He does?/**

**/He does. He’s keeping you warm./**

**/What’s it like?/ **Connor asked. **/… out there/ **He had so many questions. He missed the outside world so much.

**/You have your own room. Hank and Sumo stay with you. You have a lot of gifts and cards. The leaves are just beginning to change colour, it’ll be autumn soon./**

**/I want to know what autumn is like. And I’d like to celebrate Halloween. It’s the only holiday I haven’t been around for./ **Connor said, wistfully. He had watched movies with Halloween scenes in, and it looked like a lot of fun. He hoped he wasn't going to miss out.

**/You’re making great progress. I’m sure you’ll get to experience it./ **Markus reassured him.** /Hank says if you don’t wake up he’ll dress you up as a zombie and wheel you around the precinct/**

That made Connor chuckle a little.

* * *

**THIRIUM LEVELS: 100%**

**STRESS LEVELS: 10%-**

**REPAIRS: 40% COMPLETE^**

Hank nodded his approval

* * *

**/I have to go now, Connor./**

Connor felt his heart sink in his chest, wherever that was. As peaceful as the void of darkness was, he had been enjoying Markus’ company. He found he never wanted him to leave. He had been his only friendly contact for over a week.

**/Ok./ **He said, despite the fact he desperately wanted the other android to stay. He almost considered begging. It was nice to hear his voice. But Markus was a busy man and most likely had other, more important things to do.

Markus sent waves of warmth through the connection. He had obviously sensed Connor’s discomfort.

**/I’ll speak to you again tomorrow. I promise./** Markus said. **/In the meantime, you should rest. Your repairs are forty percent complete. You’re doing great./ **

**/When will I wake up?/ **He asked. 

**/When you’re ready./ **Markus said, softly. **/Goodnight, Connor./**

**/Goodnight, Markus./**

And Connor was left in darkness once more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Connor is ticklish fight me


	6. Voice

**THIRIUM LEVELS: 100%**

**STRESS LEVELS: 0%-**

**REPAIRS: 43% COMPLETE^**

After Markus had left, Hank sat by Connor’s bedside well into the night.

“You’re doing so great, kid.” He muttered, sleepily. He nursed his glass of whisky, swirling the deep, dark liquid around in his glass rhythmically. It was his first drink since the incident, and he allowed himself to feel proud. He knew Connor would be proud, too, considering the amount of stress he had been under. But time was wearing on, and Hank found he needed the comforting warm burn of liquor. 

Sumo’s head rested on Connor’s chest as he gazed up at the android, wistfully.

“I know, buddy.” Hank said, giving the great hound a scratch behind the ears. “I know.”

Hank woke early the next morning. So early, in fact, that the sun had barely risen outside. He glanced over at Sumo, who still lay on Connor’s legs, his head rested on the footboard of the bed. He gazed up at his owner with sad eyes. 

“What do you say, boy?” He asked the dog, “How about we go be cheesy and watch the sunrise? It’ll give us something to talk to Connor about.”

Sumo ‘boofed’ his approval.

They stood outside the clinic, in the small back garden. Sumo sniffed around at his feet. He stuck his nose in one of the only flowers growing in a sad looking plant box. It was a small, red rose. It's petals littered the soil beneath it, a reminder that autumn was coming fast.

Hank grimaced as he took a long swig of water, his throat dry after last night’s drink, as little as it was. The sunrise wasn’t that great. It was cloudy, and they were still in inner-city Detroit. Skyscrapers almost completely blocked out his view. Maybe he’d just tell Connor about the rose…

He sighed, tension dripped from his shoulders that he didn’t realise he had been holding. The fresh air helped, and it felt good on his skin and in his lungs as he inhaled deeply. Sumo gazed up at him, curiously.

It seemed Connor was coming back to him. And he was glad, really, he was. He was just so goddamn _tired._ He hadn’t really realised just how much the situation had hit him until that moment, standing in the crisp morning air. He felt his entire fifty-four years on his shoulders.

He had come so close to losing yet another son.

It was hard to wrap his head around. Connor almost died – had died. It felt odd to think about. He didn’t want to think about it. Perhaps he needed another drink. 

But he couldn’t leave his boy.

He let his head drop, and all the emotion from the past week suddenly crashed over him like a tsunami. He let the tears fall.

* * *

And ever still, he drifted.

* * *

**THIRIUM LEVELS: 100%**

**STRESS LEVELS: 0%-**

**REPAIRS: 45% COMPLETE^**

It was official: Hank was bored.

He had worked though all of the paperwork the precinct had sent him and he had exhausted everything (or everything good, anyway) Netflix had to offer. He loved Connor to death, but the boredom was beginning to eat at him.

“How ‘bout we read something, huh?” He said to the sleeping android. He dug through the duffle bag he had packed all those days ago and ran his palm over the books he had hastily thrown in.

His hand paused over a book smaller and thinner than the rest. He pulled it out and smiled down at the cover fondly. 

It was ‘The Rainbow Fish’. It had been Cole’s favourite story, and Hank had so many memories involving the little book. Cole had made him read it for bedtime countless times, and the little boy had even learnt to read using the book.

It was one of the many items Hank couldn’t bear to throw away after the his boy had passed. He left it sitting on a shelf in his living room, where Connor had subsequently come across it while cleaning. He had stood at the shelf for a while, admiring the cover. Hank had caught him flipping through it, and the android had hastily put it back. 

“It’s OK.” Hank had said. “You can read it. Just put it back when you’re done.”

Connor’s face had lit up.

That night, when Hank had got up to use the bathroom, he had heard a quiet sniffling as he past the living room. He peered around the corner, curiously. 

Connor was sitting up on the sofa as tears ran down his face.

“Connor?” Hank asked, urgently. He rushed over to the androids’ side, trying not to trip over Sumo in his haste. “Are you alright?” Faintly, he noticed the androids LED was still it's regular blue.

“Yes.” Connor said as he hurriedly wiped his eyes. “Yes, sorry. I was…”

Hank glanced down and eyed the book open in his lap.

“You’re crying at ‘The Rainbow Fish’?” He asked, amused.

“It’s such a touching story!” Connor exclaimed defensively as he palmed at his eyes again, which were still releasing tears against his will. “He gives away his scales, learns to share and is happier for it. He has friends!” 

Hank was slightly taken aback. ‘The Rainbow Fish’ was a good story, touching yes, but not tear-jerking. 

It was so soon after the revolution, and at that point it was the most emotional Hank had seen Connor. Hank had put the tears down to Connor’s new-found deviancy and the stress the revolution had put him under. Still, there were worse things to break down about. Hank considered himself lucky that this was all he was dealing with.

The emotion was short lived, however, and the very next morning Connor was questioning the logistics of the book.

“Fish can’t remove their own scales, though.” Connor said thoughtfully. He sat opposite Hank at the kitchen table as the lieutenant munched sluggishly on his plain, bland cornflakes. “How could the Rainbow Fish even grip one? Fins can’t grip. They don’t work that way. Fish don’t have thumbs. And surely it would hurt.”

“For fucks sake, Connor!” Hank snapped, subsequently spraying cornflakes everywhere. “It’s just a kid’s book, you’re not supposed to read into it!” 

Hank chuckled fondly at the memory.

He sat up and cracked open the book. “How does ‘The Rainbow Fish’ sound, huh?” He asked. Connor didn’t say or do anything, but Hank went ahead anyway.

* * *

Something had started to beep. He wasn’t sure what it was, and he didn’t have the energy to question it. He just assumed it was a part of his programming. Something coming back online perhaps, or maybe it was his thirium pump. He wasn’t sure, and he didn’t really have the energy to care.

He lay in limbo, feeling the nothingness around him.

“… _‘Shocked, the little blue fish swam away. He was so upset, he told all his friends what had happened.’_”

Connor suddenly snapped to attention at the sound of the voice, which grew steadily by the second.

“’_From then on, no one would have anything to do with the Rainbow Fish. They turned away when he swam by.’”_

Hank. That was Hank’s voice.

Connor wanted to open his mouth to call for his father-figure, but he couldn’t. He tried desperately, but wasn’t sure what he was trying to do, if he was even doing anything. There was nothing but the oppressive darkness and Hank’s voice, so far away. He wanted to yell in frustration.

“ “_I can’t…” the Rainbow Fish started to say, but the octopus had already disappeared into a dark cloud of ink.’” _Hank’s voice carried on in the distance, oblivious to the fact Connor could hear him.

_Hank!_ He wanted to yell. He wanted to tell him he could hear him, at long last he could hear him, but he didn’t know where is mouth was, where is vocal chords rested. Did he even still have a body?

“’_Suddenly he felt the light touch of a fin. The little blue fish was back!_

_“Rainbow Fish, please, don’t be angry. I just want one little scale.”’”_

He wanted to relax and listen to Hank read, let the lieutenants comforting voice sooth him. But he couldn’t.

* * *

“_’Carefully, the Rainbow Fish pulled out the smallest scale and gave it to the little fish…’”_

Sumo whined from up on the bed and began to paw gently at Connor’s stomach.

Hank glanced up to look for the source of the dogs’ distress. His eyes landed on Connor’s lax face. He was crying. 

“Oh, Connor.” Hank chuckled. “Crying at ‘The Rainbow Fish’ again? Seriously?”

He turned back to the book when he froze as the realization hit him straight in the gut. 

“Shit!” He exclaimed, shoving the book aside. He lifted himself to the bed, sitting on the edge by Connor’s knees. He grasped the side of the androids’ face.

“Connor?” He asked urgently as he shook the boys shoulder with more force than was possibly necessary. “Connor, can you hear me?!” 

He shot a glance at the monitors beside the bed.

**THIRIUM LEVELS: 100%**

**STRESS LEVELS: 30%-**

**REPAIRS: 44% COMPLETE^**

His stress levels were elevated, which had happened before. But the crying was new.

“Connor? Connor, buddy, can you hear me?” He asked desperately. Connor’s expression didn’t change, but the tears kept coming.

With shaky hands, Hank fumbled for his phone.

“Markus?” He blurted as soon as the line connected. “Get here, now!”

“What’s wrong?” Markus asked, urgently, startled by Hank’s harsh tone. “Is everything alright?!" 

“I think Connor can hear me.” Hank said.

* * *

Connor listened as Hank talked to him, or rather, at him. He could feel himself relaxing slowly, letting the darkness cradle him as he listened to Hank’s soothing words.

Hank was talking about nothing in particular. He described Connor’s room, the way the sunlight poured through the window, the way it made Sumo’s fur shine. He even got the dog to bark for him.

Everything still sounded like it was underwater, slightly muffled, but he found he didn’t care. He could hear; that was the important thing. 

Distantly, he heard the sound of a door opening.

“Markus!” He heard Hank greet, eagerly.

“Hank.” Markus said. “Connor.” There was a smile in his voice.

Shuffling, and then Markus’ voice was closer.

“You know, there are technicians you can call if things change. They’ll get here a lot quicker.”

“I know.” Hank said in a tone that suggested he had completely forgotten about the technicians. It made Connor want to smile fondly. “I just… Yeah… Sorry.”

Markus chuckled. “It’s fine.” He said, “I like to visit.”

“Can you interface with him?” Hank asked. “And ask him, you know, if he’s there?”

“Of course.”

The was a pause, and Connor could feel a connection opening.

* * *

**/Markus!/ **He cried, before the android leader had the chance to say anything.

**/Connor! Can you hear us?/**

**/I can!/**

“He can!” Markus relayed to Hank.

Hank laughed, the sound full of relief. “Thank fuck! Hey Con!”

**/Hello, Hank!/**

“He says hello.” Markus told him. 

“Jeez, it’s so good to hear from you, son.” Hank sounded slightly giddy. “How is everything in there?”

**/Dark, boring. But it’s peaceful./**

Markus relayed the message.

“Sorry to hear that. How are you feeling?”

**/I’m not feeling much of anything at all./ **Connor answered, honestly. **/Although I’m quite… sleepy. Do I still have a body?/**

“Do you still… Of course, you still have a body.” Hank spluttered. “Why wouldn’t you have a body?”

**/I can’t feel it./**

“You’ll be able to feel it soon enough.” Markus reassured him. “You’re making great progress, Connor.”

Connor would have nodded if he could. **/Anyway, how are you, Hank?/** He asked.

“Me? I’m fine. Just missing you, kiddo.”

**/I miss you too./ **Connor said, he felt as if his batteries were draining rapidly. Interfacing took up a lot of energy at the best of times, but right then it was even worse.

Suddenly, Markus laughed.

“What is it?” Hank and Connor asked in unison.

“He yawned. You yawned, Connor.” Markus said.

**/Oh. Well, I am quite tired./**

“You should rest, son.” Hank said. “We can talk again another time." 

**/But I want to keep talking./ **Connor complained.

“You need rest.” Markus said. “The more rest you get, the quicker you’ll be able to talk to us properly.”

Connor wanted to scowl, but he couldn’t. Instead, he sent his emotions through the connection. He heard Markus huff a laugh.** /I suppose./** He grumbled.

“I’ll be here.” Hank reassured him. “You rest. Goodnight, kid.”

**/Night, dad./** Connor said, as Markus ended the connection.

He fell asleep before he could hear Markus pass on his final message.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was a good excuse to read the Rainbow Fish again! And Connor can hear :O and he called Hank dad :OOO


	7. Twitch

**THIRIUM LEVELS: 100%**

**STRESS LEVELS: 0%-**

**REPAIRS: 48% COMPLETE^**

Hank’s greeting of, “Good morning, kid.” Was the first thing Connor heard when he came to that morning. 

**/Good morning, Hank./**

“This monitor thingy sure is neat, huh?” He heard Hank tap on something to his left. After Markus had returned to Jericho, the technicians came in and attached Connor to a monitor that he could interface with, much like interfacing with another android. Connor still didn’t have the energy levels to do it for long, but he was glad he could talk to Hank. “How are you today? Feeling any different?”

**/I feel…/ **Connor wasn’t entirely sure exactly how he felt, but he _felt_. It was an odd sensation. He still couldn’t pinpoint where his limbs were exactly, but he could feel them, or partially at least. He felt what humans often described as ‘pins and needles’, but muted. It was like his body was humming weakly. 

“You feel…?” Hank prompted. “Have you fallen asleep again?” 

**/No. Sorry./ **Connor replied, hurriedly.** /I’m not sure how I feel, but I think I can feel my body./**

“You think?” Connor could hear the eyebrow-raise in Hank’s voice.

**/I feel something. Like buzzing, I guess… I feel my body, but I don’t know where it is./**

“Trippy.” Hank commented. Connor heard rustling next to him, and he felt _something_. He wasn’t sure what it was, but it was like something had disturbed his body. And he wasn’t sure where on his body, either, but it felt high. He found himself agreeing with Hank's comment: It was indeed trippy.

**/What was that?/ **He asked.

“I just booped you on the nose.” Hank said. “Did you feel it?”

**/Yes, I did. It was a very odd sensation./**

The feeling was back as Hank did it again.

**/I felt that, too. Before you ask./**

“Did you know it was your nose?”

**/Maybe? It was in the same area…?**

“I tugged on your ear.” Hank said.

**/Oh…/**

Hank must have patted him again, somewhere, because he felt the same kind of disturbance as before. But this was comforting. “You’ll get there, kid.”

If Connor had control over his face, he would have frowned. **/I don’t like this./**

“Me neither, son. But you’re getting there.”

* * *

“This is _weird.”_ Tina said as she squinted at the monitor.

There was a slight pause before Connor replied. **/You’re weird/** He replied. Hank could practically see the sass oozing off the words. 

“Oi.”

“That’s fair.” Chris said, with a slight chuckle. “How are you, Connor?”

**/I’m ok/** the still android replied.

“No. No, it’s weird.” Tina said, “I mean, he’s talking to us… but he’s not talking to us. How am I supposed to wrap my head around that?”

“With all due respect Tina,” Hank said, “It’s really not that hard.”

Tina huffed and sat down on one of the vacant chairs next to the bed. “Even so. It’s nice to hear from you, bud.” She patted him on the hand, a smile on her face. “You gave us a real scare.”

**/I’m sorry about that…/**

“Don’t be sorry.” Chris said, warmly. “It’s not your fault, after all.”

“The people who are at fault are gonna get a full earful from me.” Hank said, his voice gruff.

**/Have they been caught?/** Connor wondered.

“Yep.” Tina said. “And to make our lives easier, they’ve pleaded guilty to distributing drugs _and _assaulting an officer. Not that the trial would have been particularly difficult for us; there was so much evidence stacked against them.”

There was a slight pause before Connor answered again. **/Good. I’m glad/**

Hank knew those pauses by now. “You getting tired, kid?” He asked. Whenever Connor took a moment to reply, it often meant he was thinking or trying to stop himself from falling ‘asleep’.

**/Yes, but I’m ok./** Connor said.

“Remember what we talked about?” Hank said, sternly. “If you’re tired, you sleep. Your systems are under enough pressure as it is without you trying to keep yourself awake.”

“And we should be getting back to the station anyway.” Chris said. He nudged Tina’s side. She stared at him for a beat just before she realised what he meant, and she rose to her feet.

“It was nice to see you guys again.” Hank said, his voice warm. 

Tina chuckled. “Don’t sweat it.” She said. She turned to the stationary android. “See ya, Con.”

Connor didn’t reply. He was already asleep.

* * *

When Connor woke up from his little ‘doze’, things felt different. Very different.

He wasn’t floating anymore. Instead, he was lying down on a soft surface. He could feel soft cotton beneath his skin, the clothes on his body felt comfortable and familiar, but there was something in his mouth. What was it? It felt weird. He didn’t like it.

He could finally feel his body, which was a relief. His right arm lay straight at his side while his left was bent, his palm resting on his midriff. There was a heavy weight across his legs. 

But he couldn’t move.

He focused all of his attention and energy into his left hand and tried to move it, make a finger twitch, anything. But it stayed put.

Connor couldn’t help but feel a spike of panic.

**/Hank?/** He asked.

“I’m here, kid.” Hank’s voice came from beside him. It was rough with exhaustion. “What’s up?”

**/I can’t move./** Connor felt his stress levels rise with each passing second. ** /I can’t move! What’s in my mouth? It feels strange. I don’t like it./**

“That’s just a breathing tube.” Hank reassured him. He seemed a little taken aback at Connor’s panic. “Or whatever the android equivalent is. It’s to help your cooling systems. And the doctor said your motor functions aren’t fixed enough yet. It will be a little while before you can move again. Sorry, kid.”

But Connor didn’t want to wait. It felt odd, lying there, not being able to move but being able to feel all of his limbs, perfectly painless and very much _there._

Connor tried again, but his hand didn’t respond. He tried to access his diagnostic information, but couldn’t.

**/Hank, I can’t move!/**

“Hey, Con, calm down.” He felt one of Hank’s calloused hands on his forehead, smoothing through his hair in a comforting motion. “Your stress levels are rising, you need to calm down.”

Connor ignored him. Or rather, he couldn’t quite process the man’s words. **/I can’t move!/ **His thoughts were fuzzy with panic, Hank’s earlier explanation completely forgotten in the haze of his anxiety.

“Like I said, your motor functions aren’t quite fixed yet.” Hank’s voice was firm, but kind. “It’ll come back. You’re ok.”

**/I don’t like it./ **He felt tears on his face, though he began to calm slightly as he focused on Hank’s hand stroking through his hair. It was extremely comforting.

“I know, I thought you wouldn’t.” Hank’s hand paused to wipe the tears off of Connor’s cheeks. “You’ll be able to soon, I promise." 

**/It feels weird./**

“How so?”

**/My limbs are there. I can feel everything. But I can’t move…/** Connor wasn’t even sure he was still making any sense.

He heard Hank hum, deep in thought. “Tina discovered something the other day. Want me to try it?” 

He paused before answering. Tina? **/Ok./** Connor replied, confused.

He heard Hank stand and walk over to the other side of the bed. He felt the weight on his legs shift slightly.

**/What was that?/** He asked.

“That was just Sumo.” Hank said. “Say hi, boy.”

Sumo woofed.

**/Oh./** Markus had told him Sumo liked to lie on him. In his panic, he had completely forgotten. **/Hi, Sumo./**

He felt the blanket move away from his foot, exposing the limb to the cool air.

“You ready?” Hank asked.

**/I don’t know what you’re going to d-/**

A jolt of _something_ shot through his foot and he felt it flinch.

**/572ndhujn@4/**

“See?” Hank said. “You’re getting there.” He must’ve have glanced up at the monitor, because his tone suddenly changed. “Holy shit, Connor, are you ok?”

**/Yes./** Connor said, **/What was that?!/**

“You’re ticklish.” Hank said. He sounded smug. “I didn’t know androids could be ticklish. You learn something new every day.”

**/_That _was a tickle?/** Connor wanted to shudder. He had heard about tickles, mainly from humans he overheard and passing comments on TV shows. He hadn’t been able to imagine quite what it would feel like until then. **/I don’t like it./**

“No one does.” Hank said, before doing it again.

**/dn24ioN%A1#1/**

Hank chuckled.

**/Stop it!/ **Connor protested, but weirdly, he wanted to giggle. And his foot had _moved_. He couldn’t control it, but it was movement all the same.

Hank openly laughed, and if Connor had control of his face, he would laugh too.

Connor fell ‘asleep’ soon after that, being tickled can be exhausting, after all.

**THIRIUM LEVELS: 100%**

**STRESS LEVELS: 0%-**

**REPAIRS: 49% COMPLETE^**

Hank sat back in his chair, as he threw a ball at the opposite wall for Sumo to catch. The dog skidded on the linoleum floor as he chased the toy, his claws clicked nosily as his limbs flailed and his paws struggled for purchase. Hank desperately wished Connor could watch this. The android was especially fond of the dogs ‘mad’ moments, so much so he had begun to record them and had an entire folder filled of individual moments. In his head. He had been recording with his eyes. To show Hank his collection, he had casually pulled a fucking wire out of his head and plugged it into Hank’s work computer like a fucking USB. It had freaked Hank out to no end.

The sun was staring to set and it bathed the room in a warm, orange glow. Hank had considered getting an early night.

Hank glanced up at the monitors just as the repairs flicked over to fifty-percent complete.

“Almost there, kid.” He said, patting the androids arm.

He stood up and stretched, his joints popped as he did so, the sound echoed throughout the quiet room.

“Time for bed I think, Sumo.” He said to the dog.

As soon as the words left his mouth, Sumo bounded up onto the bed. Although Hank had brought blankets for the dog to lay on, Sumo seemed to prefer lying on Connor during the night instead. As well as the day. Hank couldn’t understand how it could be comfortable for the him, but Sumo seemed happy enough.

As per usual, Sumo crawled over Connor’s still form and gave him a long, slobbery lick on the cheek.

“Ugh. Gross.” Hank said. He reached over the bed to grab a tissue to wipe the slobber off Connor’s face.

Only when he turned his gaze back to Connor, he saw the android’s eyes were open.

“Connor!” Hank leant over him, cupping the side of his face. Brown eyes looked up to meet his. 

“Jesus!” Hank exclaimed. “You’re awake!” 

Connor didn’t say anything. He couldn’t, not with the ventilation tube still down his throat. The monitors beside him that he had been using to communicate were blank too.

Instead, his eyes were locked onto Hank’s face as he blinked sluggishly, no doubt trying to focus them. They welled with tears.

“Hey, hey, it’s ok.” Hank said, running a hand through the android’s hair. Sumo whined and licked at Connor’s face again, this time licking at the tears. “You did great. Good job, kid.”

Connor’s eyes fluttered closed again, as if the act of keeping them open was the most exhausting thing, and it most likely was judging by the slightly drawn look on the boys face. 

Hank sat on the side of the bed until the tears stopped falling and the android was deep asleep once more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hank Anderson dad of the year


	8. Gifts From Friends

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I took a little break from writing this as it began to feel like a chore - but i'm back into it baaabeeeyyyyy~ I'm almost finished it, in fact. I like to have two-three chapters banked before I post and I kinda forgot about that whoops. I don't know when the next chapter will be as I need to catch up. In the meantime, please enjoy!

**THIRIUM LEVELS: 100%**

**STRESS LEVELS: 0%-**

**REPAIRS: 59% COMPLETE^**

It had been a couple of days since Connor had opened his eyes, and not much else had happened. The tube had been removed and Doctor Forest declared his ventilation systems fully restored, though Connor breathed as if he was a mildly un-fit human who had just gone for a light jog. His body was still under a lot of pressure, after all. He was spending more and more time awake, but wasn’t talking as his speech programme wasn’t completely online yet. He wasn’t using the monitors, either.

“Since he’s regained complete awareness, every little thing is going to be exhausting.” Doctor Forest explained to them that morning. Hank was sat in his usual place with Sumo lying across Connor’s legs. Markus and North were there too, with Markus sat on the opposite side of the bed and North perched on the mattress, close to Connor’s knees. As soon as Hank had phoned, Markus had been straight round, eager to see his friend looking alive again. On his next visit, he had brought North along, who was just as concerned as her partner. The pair had been overjoyed to see Connor's eyes open and aware, and to see the steady increase in the other androids vitals. “He can process everything again, but his systems can’t quite cope with it just yet. It’s likely he doesn’t have enough energy to use the monitors to communicate.” 

Connor stared up at the woman, his eyes half lidded. He was propped up by a number of plush pillows so he could face her, though his body slumped into them. He seemed determined to stay awake, even though it was obvious his body wanted to do nothing but sleep.

He had regained some of his motor functions and his hands were buried in Sumo’s fur, his shaking fingers ran through it much to the dogs’ delight. But even doing that seemed to drain his energy levels.

“Can’t you just plug him in to charge or something?” Hank asked. "I've seen him do that before." North just rolled her eyes. She was fond of Hank, which was surprising given North’s general distrust and overall hatred of humans, but she seemed to have made an exception for the lieutenant. But she wasn’t above letting him know when he was being an idiot, like then.

“Android’s don’t work quite like that.” She said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. “We can ‘plug ourselves in’, as you put it, to restore energy yes, but Connor’s systems are damaged. He’s lacking a completely different kind of energy. Plugging him in won’t do any good.” 

Hank decided to pretend he understood.

Doctor Forest nodded in agreement. “She’s right. All Connor can do is rest for now.” She gave Connor a pointed look. His eyes were stubbornly still open.

“Muh.” Connor mumbled. It wasn’t a very happy ‘muh’.

“Connor.” Markus said, sternly, as if scolding a small child. Markus had a a very natural bedside manner, Hank noted. Connor had mentioned in the past that Markus used to be a caretaker - for the artist Carl Manfred no less. His caring nature really showed when visiting his friend. Despite his kindness, Connor only glared at him. The drop in his energy levels had made Connor quite cranky, as of late.

“Everything’s going as it should,” Doctor Forest reassured them with a kind smile. “Or, at least, how we think it should be going. Everything’s going in the right direction, even if it feels like things are going a little backward right now. You’re a special case, Connor.”

Hank wasn’t sure if it was meant as a compliment or not, but nonetheless, Connor focused his glare on her instead. 

She didn’t seem to be affected by the android’s grouchiness, however. Instead, she smiled at them all once again. “If you need anything, you know where to find me.” She said as she left the room.

As soon as the door clicked shut behind her, Connor let out an exhausted sigh and let his eyes flutter closed. 

“Sleep, kid.” Hank said, though Connor was most likely unconscious before the words left his mouth.

* * *

**THIRIUM LEVELS: 100%**

**STRESS LEVELS: 0%-**

**REPAIRS: 66% COMPLETE^**

“Wanna open your presents, Con?”

Connor slowly turned his head to meet the lieutenant’s eyes. His head was heavy, and he felt as if it weighed a tone, though he knew that was illogical. For the past half an hour, he had been fiddling with a rubix cube which sat in his lap. Though he still couldn’t move much, his wrists and fingers were quite nimble. He had been fighting both the tiredness and the boredom with small puzzles. Though it was exhausting, Connor was glad his intellectual abilities hadn’t suffered much. He was able to solve the rubix cube in almost the same time as he usually would. Almost.

Hank nodded over to the table in the corner, which was overflowing with gift bags and Get-Well cards. Connor hadn’t paid it much mind. But now it had been pointed out to him and he was sitting almost upright, supported by the bed, he saw it properly for the first time. 

“For me?” He asked. His language module was still struggling and the sound was laced with crackly static, but he still used it and it felt like an award-worthy achivement. At that moment, speaking out loud took up less power than interfacing with the monitors.

“Yup.” Hank confirmed. He stood, his knees audibly popping, and made his way over to the table to scoop up the bags and cards. Connor’s eyes followed him as he did so.

“W-why?” He asked, his voice stuttering over the one syllable.

“Why?” Hank echoed as he sat down on the edge of the bed. “People were worried about you, that’s why kid.”

Connor wasn’t sure he completely understood why humans gave gifts to each other when they were ill or injured. Gifts wouldn’t help a person to recovery, after all. Furthermore, he didn’t understand why people would want to get _him_ a gift. Though he liked having things, little odd objects here and there; trinkets things with meaning. But he didn’t really need them.

He hadn’t even considered the fact that people would be concerned about him.

Hank placed the first gift bag in the android’s lap and helped him lift his hands to open it up. Inside was a neatly wrapped parcel. Connor poked weakly at the package, feeling it squish under his fingers. He took a glance at the tag, but the words looked jumbled, almost ancient hieroglyphics he couldn’t quite decipher. He huffed in frustration. 

“What’s up?” Hank asked.

“Can’t read.” Connor grumbled. It embarrassed him slightly to say so and he looked away, his gaze focused on a little planet embroidered onto the blanket covering him. It looked like Saturn, but it was bright purple, so he couldn’t be sure.

“Ah.” Hank said. He leant over and glanced at the label. “It’s from Ben.” He provided.

Connor didn’t say anything, but nodded as a thank you. He began to unwrap the package. His fingers fumbled over themselves, neither appendage doing quite what he wanted. It took him longer than it usually would have, but he finally got the package open. 

Inside sat a plush, white knitted blanket. Connor ran his hand over its surface, feeling the rough but soft texture on his skin.

“’S nice.” He said.

Hank nodded. “Handmade.” He said. “Ben doesn’t look it, but he’s a hell of a knitter. As fast as fuckin’ lightning, it’s a sight to behold.”

Connor hummed his appreciation. The blanket looked very warm, and he was starting to feel a little cold. He tried to unfold the blanket, but got half way before his arms wouldn’t stretch any further. It was very large.

But Hank seemed to catch on to Connor’s line of thinking. He took it from him and helped him lean forward slightly, then he draped the material around Connor’s shoulders. He was right; it was heavy and warm and he relaxed into its softness. 

Hank snorted. “You look like a fuckin’ granny.” 

Connor just rolled his eyes and gestured to the next package.

It was a smallish box, adorned with the CyberLife logo that had been hastily scribbled out in black marker pen. Hank had removed the tape so Connor was able to lift the flaps of the box easily.

“It’s from the guys at Jericho.” Hank told him.

Inside was a litter of items all thrown haphazardly on top of each other. Connor picked through each one, pausing to examine the packaging.

He couldn’t read the words, but the packaging resembled the kind that human food came in. It even had little illustrations of food items on the front.

“Thirium food.” Hank said, a trace of disgust hidden in his voice. “Solidified blue-blood, basically.”

“Intresting…”

“Yeah.” Hank sat back slightly, looking at the box with mild distaste. “Apparently, it’s flavoured like human food, but you guys can digest it. Or something. Still fuckin’ gross, but I guess now you don’t have to drink it like vampires or some shit.” 

Connor frowned down at the box. He remembered that food for androids was something that was being discussed, many android’s wanted to blend in with humans, and it would help human comfort too. Many humans shared the same view as Hank: drinking blood was weird and disgusting. As far as he was aware, thrum food was still in the development stage. 

“When?” He asked, nodding down at the box.

“They haven’t been released yet. You get first pickings.” Hank rummaged through the box. “You’ve got shit like cookies, breakfast bars, ‘chocolate’… Hell, even animal crackers.”

He took the pack of animal crackers from Hank’s hands. On the package, a cartoon blue lion bared its teeth up at him. He wondered if they had fish… or dogs, even. He smiled, he defiantly wanted to try them when he was better. He wasn’t sure if his processors would be able to cope with any additional input right now.

The next package was another small one. “From Tina.” Hank said. “She didn’t tell me what she got you…”

It was a teddy bear, much like his Sherlock Bear that sat beside him on the bed, but it was smaller. It had a little plush Band-Aid on its head and it was clutching a broken heart in its paws, the words ‘Get Well Soon’ embroidered onto it.

“That’s surprisingly normal. For Tina.” Hank said. Connor chuckled at the perplexed expression on the lieutenants face.

“This last one…” Hank stood and made his way over to the table, but ducked behind hit. He reappeared with a grunt, hoisting up what looked like a yellow sack. “Is from all the android’s in the precinct. They all chipped in apparently.” With a great effort, he hauled the _thing_ over to Connor’s bed and dropped it with a grunt. It flopped down on top of his legs next to Sumo, which caused the saint bernard to startle slightly and sniff cautiously at the offending object.

It was a massive dog, a golden retriever to be precise. Not a real one of course, but a stuffed one. And it was huge. Connor wasn’t able to accurately guess just how big, but it looked to be taller than Hank, that explained his difficultly in moving it just a short distance.

It’s fur was long and thick, so much so that it got into the plushie’s glass eyes. Connor smiled down at it and gently pushed the fur out of it’s eyes. Its face was adorable.

“I have no idea where we’re gonna put that.” Hank huffed as he collapsed back into his chair again. “I don’t even know if we’ll be able to get it home.”

“We’ll find a way.” Connor said, his smile wide and his heart warm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have no idea how androids work/would work so i'm just kinda making it up as i go alone i ' m s o r r y


	9. A Wheel In The Park

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Updates might be coming a little more frequently now - there's a halloween chapter I want to get up on Halloween itself. I'm also a few hundred words away from completing the whole thing! *pats self on the back*

**THIRIUM LEVELS: 100%**

**STRESS LEVELS: 39%-**

**REPAIRS: 73% COMPLETE^**

“Take your time, Connor.”

“I _am.”_ Connor growled through gritted teeth.

It had almost been a month since the incident, and although Connor still spent most of his time sleeping, he was beginning to grow restless.

“It’s ok if you can’t do it.” Doctor Forest said from his right-hand side. “Your mobility levels are still quite low.”

“I don’t care.” Connor grumbled.

Doctor Forest and Hank stood on either side of the android, supporting the majority of his weight. Connor was standing, which in itself was an achievement, but he could hardly keep himself upright. If androids could sweat, Hank was sure he would be dripping. His expression was fixed in concentration and his LED was flashing red.

“How about we try again tomorrow?” Hank suggested in a futile attempt to reason with the stubborn android. “C’mon kid.”

“No!” Connor snapped. “I’m walking. N-now.”

Needless to say, Connor’s lack of mobility had caused him to get a little cranky. Well, more than a little. Between his frequent naps, all Connor could do was sit and talk to Hank, watch TV or read, all from the same position. It was starting to get to him, he wasn’t used to being confined in any way since deviancy, especially in an unfamiliar place. Hank suspected the lack of control brought back bad memories.

With what looked like great difficulty, Connor extended a leg outwards. He bit his lip as he took a step, his left leg trembling violently. As soon as his socked foot touched the ground, his knees buckled and both the doctor and Hank almost sank down to the floor with him. 

“That was good!’ Doctor Forest said, encouragingly, though she sounded slightly breathless. “It’s a step in the right direction. Pardon the pun.” 

Connor glared up at her, and Hank couldn’t help but notice his eyes were slightly damp.

“Hey.” He said, in what he hoped was a soothing tone. Connor turned his gaze to look at him, and his eyes lost their hardness. Ignoring the way his knees audibly cracked, he knelt down in front of the android. “I know it’s frustrating, but you just did a massive thing. You should be proud.” He punched the kid lightly on the shoulder and smiled.

Connor just turned his head to stare down at the floor. “It is frustrating.” He mumbled.

“You have every right to be pissed. That’s normal.” Hank reassured him.

Connor bit his lip, and his eyes were dangerously close to overflowing. Hank had only seen the android cry a handful of times, including both Rainbow Fish incidences, but his emotions were usually aimed at movies where dogs died. Either way, he was a master of the kicked-puppy look, and it made Hank’s hardened heart sink. “I just want to g-go home.”

Hank sighed sadly and rested his hand on his shoulder. “I know, son.” He said. “I want you home as well. So does Sumo.”

Sumo had joined them both on the floor at some point, and his ears pricked up at the mention of his name.

“I’d give you no more than a week left until you’re well enough to leave.” Doctor Forest smiled kindly. “Not long now.”

Connor chuckled, but it had no feeling. “Feels like years away.”

Hank was suddenly struck with an idea, he looked up to the doctor standing on Connor’s other side. “Do you have wheelchairs at this place?” He asked the doctor. 

Doctor Forest nodded. “Not many, but yes.”

“Can we borrow one? I think a walk, or a wheel, in the park would be good for everyone.”

Connor visibly perked up, and even Sumo seemed to notice the androids sudden change in mood. His tail began to thump against the floor.

“I don’t see why not.” Doctor Forest smiled warmly. “I’ll go and get one.”

Once the door swung shut behind her, Hank helped Connor back onto the bed and against the pillows. “You sure you’re up for a walk right now?” Hank asked as he rummaged in the duffle bag for a jacket for Connor. He was already wearing a hoodie, but the temperature had dropped significantly within the past month. Connor’s processors didn’t need the extra strain from keeping him warm.

“If I don’t leave this room, ‘m gonna kill s-someone.” Connor said. His speech was still slightly slurred, but he almost sounded like his normal self. 

“Not me, I hope?” Hank chuckled as he helped Connor sit forward and guided his arms into the sleeves.

“Mm. M-maybe.” Connor said, but his mouth perked upwards at the corners.

“Oi.” Hank scolded, with a light, playful slap around the head. Connor just chuckled.

Once Doctor Forest had pushed the wheelchair to the side of the bed, the two humans both took one of Connor’s arms each and helped him onto his feet and down into the wheelchair. Connor fell into it heavily with a slight grunt. He looked tired, but there was a determined expression on his face. Hank laid a blanket over his knees - the one that Ben had given him - and Connor's hands immediately found it, fiddling with the small holes between stitches. 

“Sumo!” Hank called. The dog obediently trotted over to them and Hank clipped the leash to his collar and handed it to Connor.

“He’s been missing your walks, I think.” Hank said.

Connor smiled as he took the leash. Sumo panted up at him, and it looked like the saint Bernard was wearing a massive, goofy smile. Connor returned a toothy grin, and Hank felt the weight of a hundred bricks lift from his shoulders.

“Right. Let’s go.” He said.

Hank wheeled him out into the hallway with Sumo walking obediently beside the wheelchair. Connor looked around at the bare walls, drinking in the scenery that had been so close yet impossible to see until that moment. He watched as other androids and technicians strolled past. He made eye-contact with an android who had lost her arm below the elbow, and covered in what looked to be her own blue blood. She looked forlorn as she clutched the bicep of her injured arm. Connor shot her what he hoped was a reassuring smile.

As soon as his body met the open air, Connor noticed the difference in temperature. When he was last outside, it was still quite warm, the summer sun still strong. Now, the air was crisp and the trees that lined the parking lot had begun to turn from their spring green to fiery reds and deep oranges. It was like falling through a time slip.

The park wasn’t too far from the clinic, Connor noted with relief. It also couldn’t be far from home; this was the park Connor took Sumo to regularly. It only took half an hour to get to if walking at a brisk pace.

As soon as they were in the confines of the park, Connor leant down and unclipped the leash from Sumo’s collar, and the dog immediately bounded forward with a delighted bark.

“He’s happy.” Connor noted as the pair watched Sumo bound in front of them and make a beeline to the bottom of a lamppost to sniff at it. 

“Yeah. I haven’t been taking him on the longest walks.” Hank said, sheepishly. Connor decided not to comment on the negative impact the lack of exercise could have had on the dogs’ health, and the humans for that matter. Hank had obviously been though a lot lately. Connor couldn’t help but feel slightly guilty.

“So,” Hank began as he continued to push the wheelchair at a steady pace. Connor tilted his head to the side slightly to indicate that he was listening. “What was it like? Being in a coma?”

“I doubt it was anythin’ like a human c-coma.” Connor said, trying not to cringe at how he stuttered over his words. “But at first I was in t-the garden.”

“Markus said.” Hank hummed, his voice took on a darker quality. “With Amanda.”

Connor nodded. 

“Was it really her, or was it a weird dream your android brain cooked up?”

“It was her.” Connor said with an air of certainty. “The G-garden programme was still i-installed. I just couldn’ access it.”

Hank let out a low whistle. “Damn.” He said.

“She was there the whole time.” Connor continued, though his voice dropped in volume. He folded his hands into his lap and started to fiddle with the clasp on the leash. “She was trapped.”

“Serves her right.”

“Hm…” Connor said. Hank’s words were harsh, and felt like a pang to the heart, even though they weren’t directed at him.

They walked in silence for a while, until Hank’s sigh broke it. “What’s up?” He asked.

“She seemed different.” Connor answered. “I-I’m not entirely sure how. She was on her o-own in there for more than a year. I-It was like she was lonely.”

Hank was silent, and Connor took it as a prompt to continue. 

“She was manipulative. S-she tried to convince me that C-Cyberlife had taken back control a-and were hurting the people I cared for.”

The android could almost hear Hank’s teeth grounding.

“She w-was mad at me. But it was a strange kind of mad. She s-seemed… sad.”

“She’s a bitch.” Connor could hear the anger in the older man’s voice. He knew Hank’s opinions about Amanda very well. Once Connor had finally gathered the courage to tell Hank about his handler, the lieutenant had exploded into a fit of anger. 

“That bitch!” He had ranted as he jumped from his armchair to pace angrily around the living room. Connor just followed him with his eyes, too exhausted to try and calm the older man down, despite the fact he could see Hank’s blood pressure levels rising in the corner of his vision. “She had no right to treat you like that, machine or not.”

Connor bit his lip. “I-I know.” He said. “She is a bitch. W-Was. I just…” 

He trailed off, his voice getting lost somewhere in his throat.

“You just…?” Hank prompted.

“Felt a little bad for her.” Connor finished. “I’m not really sure why.”

Though he couldn’t see him, Connor was sure the lieutenant had softened somewhat. There seemed to be a little less tension in the air. Without waiting for a response, Connor continued.

“She was the first thing I knew. She gave me my o-orders and told me what to do. She told me I did a good job. I thought highly of her up until the very e-end, when she tried to take back control. To me, she felt…”

“Maternal.” Hank finished for him. 

Connor just nodded. He watched as Sumo bounded over to greet another dog, a young-looking Collie. He watched as they sniffed each other and Sumo pounced playfully on the younger dog.

“I guess that’s normal.” Hank finally said. “I can’t pretend I know how you feel, Con, really I can’t. But if she was the first person you ever really knew… It’s only natural. Even if they were an absolute asshole.” 

“Hm.” Connor said again. “I guess.”

Hank ruffled his hair, and Connor finally turned to face him. He wore a sad smile. “It’ll be alright, son.” He said.

After a beat, Connor mirrored the smile. Maybe it would be.


	10. Home Sweet Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess who met Bryan and Amelia yesterday?? Oh my goodness they were both so sweet and kind. Impossibly nice. I feel like I've been blessed!
> 
> Anyway, after this chapter we only have two left! Thank you for sticking with me ❤️

**THIRIUM LEVELS: 100%**

**STRESS LEVELS: 10%-**

**REPAIRS: 90% COMPLETE^**

As soon as Connor’s repairs ticked over ninety percent, Doctor Forest gave him the all clear to go home.

It had been almost two months. 

Once Connor’s self-repair programme was back up and running, he no longer needed the help of the software he was hooked up to. Removing it slowed things down, however. But Doctor Forest had insisted his own programme needed to do all the work. “So it doesn’t get lazy”, she had said. 

“Thank you for all you’ve done. Really.” Hank said sincerely as he shook the doctors hand. She just smiled kindly back at him.

“Just doing my job.” She said, cheerfully. “Though I’m so happy with your progress.” She turned her attention to Connor then. 

“Yes. Thank you.” Connor said as he too shook her hand. “I’m sorry for being… rude to you.”

Doctor Forest just laughed airily. “It’s ok! Humans are much worse, trust me.” She shot a wink at Hank, who feigned offense. 

Connor sat at the edge of the bed as he struggled with his shoelace. The room was packed up, all of Connor’s gifts in a carrier bag one of the staff androids had given them. Hank’s cot was bare and folded at the end of the room and Sumo trotted around happily as he waited for his owners to get ready.

“You sure you don’t want help with that?” Hank chuckled as he gestured to Connor’s shoe. Connor had shrugged off the lieutenants offer five minutes ago, and during that time he and managed to tie one lace, but was still fumbling with the other.

“I’m almost there.” He said as he guided the lace around the ‘bunny ears’, as Hank called them. His dexterity had improved massively within the last few weeks, but he wasn’t quite there yet.

It was well into October, Connor’s first October as a free man. Hank and Connor had been taking walks frequently, and Connor was spending less and less time in his wheelchair and more time on uncertain feet. While they were outside, Connor admired the trees changing colours for the first time. The year before, he hadn’t been able to appreciate their stunning beauty. Now he could, and he was glad.

Just as he finished tying the lace, the door opened and Markus came in pushing a wheelchair. Connor glanced at it with slight disgust.

“I don’t need it.” He said, his voice firm.

“You sure?” Markus asked. He was right to question him, though Connor could walk now, he would tire very quickly. It was a little way to the parking lot, and neither Markus or Hank thought he could make it.

“There’s nothing wrong with using a wheelchair, Con.” Hank said. “Lots of people use ‘em.”

“I know.” Connor said. “I just want to use my legs, that’s all.”

“I’ll take it with us, just in case.” Markus said. Connor hesitated, then nodded. Markus smiled reassuringly and loaded the massive plush Golden Retriever Connor had been gifted with into the chair instead, who he had since named ‘Goldie’, despite Hank’s protests that the name was 'unimaginative'. Its massive paws hung off the edge, making for a very amusing sight.

Connor stood and paused for a moment to collect his balance. Once he was sure his legs would support him, Hank wordlessly handed him Sumo’s leash. Connor took it with a smile.

“Right.” Hank said. “Home we go.”

They set off down the corridor, and Connor didn’t remember it to be this long. He could feel every artificial muscle in his legs pull with every step, and it took a lot of effort to stop himself from grimacing. Sumo seemed to sense his discomfort, and walked at a slower pace than usual. Connor gave the dog a grateful head-pat.

“You still good?” Hank asked as the four of them (five, if you counted the stuffed dog. It was large enough to be considered its own person, Connor thought) entered the lift. Taking the stairs hadn’t even been an option, even though they only had to go down one floor.

“Yes.” Connor said, though his LED had begun to flicker yellow with the level of his concentration.

“You shouldn’t over exert yourself, Connor.” Markus pointed out.

“And that damn dog doesn’t need to be in the chair.” Hank gestured to Goldie, still flopped over one of the arms. It had shifted a little during the ride and one of its paws was hanging down beside one of the wheels. Markus bent slightly to rescue it.

“I can make it to the car.” Connor said, determined.

Hank didn’t look to convinced, but he nodded anyway. He didn’t want to discourage the android. 

Hank had parked the car just outside the clinic, and as soon as the doors were open Connor sank into the back seat with a sigh.

“You did it.” Hank smiled as he patted the androids shoulder.

Connor shot a tired smile back. “I did it.” He confirmed.

Sumo boofed and scrambled onto the seat next to him and immediately lay himself across Connor’s lap just as Hank was about to place Goldie there. Hank huffed with mild amusement and went around to the trunk to stuff the plush in there instead.

Markus sat in the front seat, Hank and Connor’s bags on his lap. He turned to Connor.

“Happy to be going home?” He asked as Hank fell into the driver’s seat and started the engine.

“Very much so.” Connor said.

Markus beamed at his friend in response.

It was only a short drive back to their house, but Hank and Markus struck up an easy conversation in the front. Connor just sighed contently and began to make a fuss of Sumo, the large dog dribbling all over his sweatpants.

“I’ve never been in a car like this before.” Markus commented as he admired the interior. “I didn’t think they still made them.”

“They don’t.” Hank sounded vaguely proud of himself. “She was my dad’s. He left it to me. He had it for as long as I can remember.”

“It’s nice.” Markus remarked. “Congratulations on the upkeep.”

Hank chuckled as he discreetly threw an empty McDonalds cup over his shoulder and into the back, where it hit Sumo on the leg and clattered to the floor by Connor’s feet. “Thanks.”

Connor had almost fallen asleep during the short journey, and he startled awake when the passenger door was opened for him. He blinked rapidly as he tried to focus his tired eyes. 

Hank leant against the door and smiled fondly down at the android.

“Home sweet home.” He said. He offered his hand to help Connor out of the car. He took it and Hank pulled him to his feet.

“Home sweet home.” Connor parroted as they made their way to the door. He was tried, and he found he just wanted to sleep. In his own bed this time. He smiled fondly at the thought. 

They followed Sumo over the threshold and into the house. Goldie was draped over the back of the sofa like a giant cushion, their bags rested on the floor below her. Markus met them in the hallway as he existed Connor’s bedroom.

“All sorted for you.” Markus smiled kindly. “You can go straight to sleep, Connor.”

“Thank you, Markus.” Connor said gratefully. He was still leaning heavily on Hank, and was eager to lie down to spare both his remaining energy and the lieutenants back. “For everything.”

“Anything for a friend.” He winked. Connor smiled.

As soon as Hank deposited him on the bed, Connor immediately tangled himself up in his duvet, space blanket and the knitted blanket from Ben, and buried himself in their warmth. He sighed in contentment.

“Sleep tight, son.” Hank whispered as he pulled the duvet more securely over the androids shoulders. 

“OK… Connor mumbled, before falling into a deep, restful sleep.

* * *

Connor was restricted to bed rest, or more accurately, sofa rest for at least a week. Despite his repairs almost being complete, his processors were still all over the place. It would be a while until they were back in working order, though it was likely they would never be the same.

Connor was just happy to be alive. 

Besides, if he were dead, he wouldn’t be able to watch the scene unfolding before him.

“Hank. I can help.” Connor insisted.

Hank growled and straightened up and pointed an accusing finger at the android. “Shut the fuck up. You’re supposed to be resting.”

“Emptying the Roomba is hardly taxing. It would be no trouble. For me.”

He bit back a grin as Hank scowled at him, and their Roomba beeped unhappily. Connor was supposed to be watching ‘Jurassic Park’, at Hank’s insistence that he watch the old ‘classics’. It had been almost a year since the lieutenant had been trapping him in front of the TV, and Connor was sure there couldn’t be anymore, but he was proved wrong when Hank dug through his old Blu-rays. Instead, the TV was paused as Connor found Hank’s struggle with Ronnie the Roomba a lot more entertaining. 

“Shut it, you cheeky bastard.” Hank snapped as he flipped Ronnie onto it’s back, as it let out a displeased, slightly whiny beep. “I survived fifty-three years without your ass. I can empty a fucking vacuum.”

“But you never had a Roomba before me.” Connor said as he popped another thirium animal cracker into his mouth. They were quite tasty, even if there were no dogs. Ronnie beeped as if agreeing with him and Connor briefly wondered if Roomba’s could go deviant. 

Hank just mumbled under his breath as he went to open a compartment on Ronnie’s plastic belly. 

“That’s the battery.” Connor said. 

“I know.” Hank said as his hurriedly snapped the compartment shut. Connor chuckled.

Hank rolled his eyes and stomped off into the kitchen to empty Ronnie into the trash. He must have succeeded, because moments later Ronnie came beeping back into the living room to suck up the crumbs Connor had left on the floor. He hadn’t meant to drop them, but eating was messier than he thought it would be, though he supposed he wasn’t used to it yet. He gave the Roomba a pat on the head with the tip of his toe. 

He was vaguely aware of Hank watching him from the entrance to the kitchen, and he looked up. The older man was gazing at him with a fond smile on his face.

“Look at you.” He said. “You can relax after all.”

Connor glanced down at himself. He was sat slightly slumped with his back resting against Goldie, in his pyjamas, wrapped in the knitted blanket which was slowly becoming dusted with crumbs. 

“I’ve relaxed before.” He frowned. 

“Not this hardcore.” Hank chuckled, his stress of his near fight with Ronnie had since melted away.

“You haven’t given me much choice, to be fair.” Connor pointed out.

Hank chuckled again, but there was a far-away look in his eyes. 

Connor frowned at his expression. “What’s the matter.” he asked. 

Hank blinked, snapping himself out of his thoughts. “What? Nothing.”

“That’s not fair.” Connor said, he folded his arms across his chest in a mock-serious manner. The corner of Hank’s mouth twitched. “Whenever there is something on my mind you make me tell you.”

Hank laughed lightly, but there wasn’t much feeling in it. “Alright.” He huffed. He sat down on the sofa beside the android. Connor watched him expectantly. The lieutenants face worked as if he were working on a problem he couldn’t quite solve.

“I almost lost you.” He said finally, in a small voice. He almost sounded venerable, something Connor was far from used to hearing coming from the hard-boiled detective. He sat up a little straighter.

“I’m sorry.” Was all Connor thought to say.

Hank snorted. “Not your fault. You didn’t ask to be tased.”

“That’s very true…”

Hank leant back into the cushions and one of Goldie’s pillow-like legs, almost mirroring Connor’s position. But his posture was stiff.

“There’s something else.” Connor observed.

“Fuck you and your detective skills.” Hank laughed. He ran a hand through his dishevelled grey hair.

“It’s what I was built for…" 

“Yeah, yeah…” Hank trailed off. It was silent again before Hank suddenly spoke. “You called me dad. Do you remember?”

Connor froze. He had completely forgotten about that. He had been falling asleep at the time, he hadn’t been thinking…

Hank was defiantly a father figure to him, there was no doubt about that. He had accepted that long ago. But he knew the loss of Cole was still a sore subject for the lieutenant and would be for a long time, so he had kept his mouth shut. He thought sometimes, perhaps, Connor was like a son to Hank. The way he fussed over him, called him ‘son’… He couldn’t know for sure, and he hadn’t asked. He felt as if it wasn’t his place.

“I…” Connor found himself genuinely lost for words. He felt as if there was something lodged in his throat.

The air felt thick.

“It’s ok!” Hank said, hurriedly. “It really is. It’s just… I haven’t been called that in a while.” 

“I didn’t mean to.” Connor said. He turned his attention to his thumbs twiddling in his lap. “And I didn’t mean to upset you. I-,” 

“Connor.” Hank turned to look at him then. His expression was sincere, but there was an emotion playing about the older man’s face that Connor couldn’t read. “It really is ok.”

“I won’t do it again.” Connor said, quickly.

“No… That’s…” Hank turned away from him again and let out a heavy sigh. “Fuck, I can’t talk about feelings. I need a drink.”

“No!” Connor cried. He grabbed onto Hank’s sleeve before the man could rise. Hank stared back at him with wide eyes and Connor immediately shrunk back in on himself. He had never felt this way around the lieutenant before, it was almost awkward and he didn’t like it. “Sorry.” He said. “I just don’t think you would drink. You’ve been doing really well recently and-,”

“Ok.” Hank said, and to Connor’s surprise, he sank back into the sofa again. “You’re probably right. And I should learn to handle shit without alcohol. You’re right. No problem.” But Connor didn’t miss the way Hank’s fingers twitched. 

“You are like a son to me, Con.” Hank said, without missing a beat. Connor was taken aback. “You are. So, I don’t mind. Well. I do, but I don’t. Am I making sense?”

“You’re not.” Connor answered honestly. “But… Me too. I mean.” Connor mentally smacked himself for being so inarticulate. He was still recovering, but this wasn’t anything to do with his still healing systems. This was his emotions. “You’re like a father to me…”

Connor looked down into his lap again. 

Hank took a deep breath. “Good.” He said. He sounded vaguely startled, like he had been winded. “Good…” 

It was silent again.

“The D word still makes me feel pretty… I’m not sure how to put it into words.” His voice hitched slightly, and Connor tried his best not to look up. 

“I think I understand.” Connor said, quietly. “I didn’t mean to say it. I was tired and upset.”

“I know you were kid.” Hank reached around and rested a hand on Connor’s shoulder. He looked up at him then. Hank eyes were glassy and slightly damp and Connor felt his own burn. “But I don’t mind. Maybe not all the time, I don’t think I could handle that. But occasionally might be ok.” He gave a watery smile.

Connor mirrored it. “Ok.” He said.

Hank’s smile grew as a tear spilled down his cheek. “I love you, kid.” He said.

“I love you, too.” Connor said, as he let his own tears fall.


	11. Happy Halloween

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Halloween y'all!

**THIRIUM LEVELS: 100%**

**STRESS LEVELS: 10%-**

**REPAIRS: 94% COMPLETE^**

“You sure you’re up for this, Con?” Hank’s voice called from his bedroom.

“I’m sure.” Connor said as he wound a roll of toilet paper around his leg. “I don’t want to miss this.” 

It was Halloween. Connor’s first, and he was excited. He was still tired, so much so that he had been walking into things all morning, but he still wanted to celebrate.

The precinct was throwing a Halloween party for all of the detectives and off-duty uniformed officers. Connor was especially looking forward to seeing everyone again.

He secured the toilet roll with medical tape and began on his torso. Fancy dress was mandatory, according to Tina, and anyone without a costume would be sent away. He had decided to go as a mummy – Hank had shown him a lot of older films featuring the creatures, and despite their ridiculousness, he had found he’d quite enjoyed them. Hank, of course, had taken his decision to mean something else.

“Ah, because you came back from the dead, right?”

“That’s not why.” Connor had frowned. “And that’s zombies. I think.”

Hank had just shrugged. “Mummies are just bandaged zombies.”

He was right, he supposed. But Connor was just glad that Hank had begun to talk about the whole incident in a light-hearted manner. He couldn’t help but feel extremely guilty about the whole thing, even though he knew it wasn’t his fault. Nevertheless, he had worried Hank to no end.

He had just finished wrapping his entire body when Hank emerged from his bedroom.

“Right. Let’s get this over and done with.”

Connor glanced up at the man, and had to supress a snort.

Hank glared at him. “What’s so funny?”

“Nothing.” Connor said, but it sounded slightly choked. Connor’s enthusiasm for the holiday had put Hank into a relatively festive mood, so he had decided he would dress as Frankenstein’s monster that year. Only he didn’t look much like Frankenstein’s monster. He had painted the majority of his skin green with patches of purple here and there, his clothes were ragged and his had screws sticking out of his head. From a description alone, it didn’t sound so bad. But it was poorly executed.

“Are the screws supposed to be green?” Connor asked, innocently.

“I accidently got body paint on them.” Hank said, sheepishly. “So, I thought, fuck it. Might as well go all out.”

Connor nodded in mock seriousness. “Okay.” Was all he said.

Hank just rolled his eyes and offered a hand to help Connor from his heap on the bathroom floor. The android took it and Hank pulled him upright. He hovered by his side for a moment just in case the android wavered, but Connor managed to stand firm.

“We need more toilet paper.” He told Hank.

Hank rolled his eyes again. “I figured. You’re pretty tightly wound up.” He nudged Connor’s bicep. “Good job androids don’t need to piss. Ready to go?”

“Yes.” Connor said.

As soon as they entered the double doors of the precinct, they were surrounded by a crowd of people. Connor quickly grabbed onto Hank’s sleeve to keep his balance.

“Connor!”

In front of them were Ben and Chris, stood side-by-side and beaming at him. They were both in costume, Ben looked as if he had gone with Count Dracular, complete with the high collared cape, white make-up and fangs. Chris’ clothes were torn and bloody and his face sported some quite impressive special effects make-up. One large gash ran diagonally across his face, and it looked as if it was still oozing blood. Parts of his skin were discoloured and there were dark shadows under his eyes. He must’ve been a zombie, Connor thought. He wasn’t too sure about the different supernatural creatures yet, but he felt he was getting there.

“It’s great to see you back on your feet, man!” Chris exclaimed, he beamed as he gave Connor a friendly punch on the shoulder. Connor tried not to topple over and held on to Hank’s sleeve a little tighter, though it seemed like only the lieutenant noticed.

“Thank you.” Connor said, feeling a small smile playing about his lips. It was nice to feel cared about. “I feel a lot better.”

“Says the guy who walked into a door this morning.” Hank snorted, but the jab was kind. 

The two men just grinned sympathetically. “Don’t worry, Con.” Ben said. “I had a friend who was in a coma for a while, you’re already doing better than him.” 

“How is he?” Connor asked, curiously.

“Getting there.” Was all Ben provided. “Anyway, we can’t keep you; as soon as everyone heard that you were coming they’ve been ecstatic.” He waved toward the bullpen, where orange and black streamers hung from the ceiling. From their current angle, Connor could just make up a paper lantern in the shape of a grinning pumpkin. “Go and join the fun!”

“I’ll certainly try.” Connor said. He was about to take a step toward the bullpen when he suddenly stopped, causing Hank to eye him cautiously. “Oh, Ben!” he called after the officer, who was retreating towards the double doors. He turned back. “Thank you for the blanket.” Connor said, sincerely. “It’s very comfortable. It was very kind of you to make it for me.”

Ben grinned. “No sweat.” He said. “I always need an excuse to knit!”

Once Connor stepped across the threshold, everyone currently in the bullpen erupted into cheers, causing Connor to take an involuntary step back. Hank kept his hold on him, which Connor was grateful for, otherwise he was sure he would’ve toppled over. He shot a surprised glance up at the lieutenant, who just grinned down at him.

“Welcome back, Connor!” Tina yelled as she popped a couple of party poppers, which sent more streamers flying over the heads of the other party goers, and caused a few others to startle. Maybe party poppers weren’t the best things to bring into a police station. Still, Connor found himself smiling.

“Thank you.” He said, smiling around at them all. Tina bounded over to him as the rest of the precinct turned back to whatever they had been doing before Connor entered. She was dressed as a pixie, her hair clumsily sprayed pink with a pointed skirt that resembled leaves. On her back sat a pair of pink and green wings, adorned with swirls of glitter. Tina opened her mouth to address Connor, but was side tracked by the sight of Hank. She stared at him for a beat before she burst out laughing.

“What?” Hank demanded indignantly. “What is it?”

Tina cackled, her hand clutching at her side. “Nothing, Lieutenant. Nothing at all."

Connor bit hard on his lower lip to control his own bubbling laughter.

“Nah, nah there’s something. And you’re gonna tell me.” Hank snapped, jabbing a finger into Tina’s shoulder.

Tina wiped her eyes. “Geez, alright! But… just out of curiosity, who are you dressed as?”

“Frankenstein.” 

Tina couldn’t repress her snort. “It’s just… you look like Shrek, dude.”

Connor really couldn’t help but laugh then. Hank spluttered for a moment, before his face morphed into a strange combination of offended and proud.

“Well.” Hank said, straightening himself up. “It’s a classic, after all.”

Tina just laughed harder.

Through all the laughter, Connor felt himself begin to grow tried, so he discreetly tugged on Hank’s sleeve. Without missing a beat, or even glancing at him, Hank said “Let’s go sit down, shall we?”

Tina nodded eagerly and followed them to their desks, where Connor gladly sank down into his chair. Tina perched on the edge of his desk and tilted a orange and black striped box towards him.

“Here.” She offered with a smile. “Thirium candy. All the other officers have candy too, because is it really Halloween without candy?”

“I don’t know,” Connor answered honestly as he took a lollipop from the box and began to unwrap it. “This is my first Halloween.” He said as he popped the sweet into his mouth.

Tina gasped almost dramatically. “Shit, yeah it is!” She exclaimed. “You were in a box or whatever last year, right?”

“Cyberlife storage,” Connor clarified. “Yes.”

“Oh boy.” Tina looked about wildly, and Connor couldn’t help but chuckle. “No pressure then, huh? This has to be the best Halloween ever!”

“It’s ok, Chen, really.” Connor reassured her. “All I really want to do is observe. I don’t have much energy anyway.”

Tina seemed to consider for a moment. “OK, Mr. Observant. I can roll with that.”

At that moment, Hank appeared beside them. “I’m getting punch, you want some?” He asked Tina, gesturing toward the breakroom. The younger woman’s eyes suddenly brightened.

“The break room!” She exclaimed. “We decorated the hell out of it earlier, got some real fun activities in there.” She turned to Hank. “We’ll come with you.”

Hank just snorted as Tina skipped around to the back of Connor’s chair and began to push it. Connor shared a bemused look with the older man, but he was smiling, so Connor went with it.

Tina was right; they certainly had ‘decorated the hell out of it’. Connor almost didn’t recognise it as the break room. All the windows were blacked out, the only illumination coming from the precinct and the orange fairy lights strung haphazardly up on every wall. Jack-o-lanterns – real ones this time – sat on tables with candles flickering inside them. They were cut in an assortment of styles – some the classic lantern face and others were cats, clowns (Connor’s eyes didn’t rest on those for too long), a witch’s face and even ghosts. Fake cobwebs were thrown everywhere, a little too close to the candles, so much so it was almost a fire hazard.

The room was almost packed to bursting. Punch and other refreshments – including thirium – were lined up along the counter along with cakes and various candies. Officers and desk workers milled around, most crouched around a tiny paddling pool at the far end of the room.

“What’s that?” Connor asked, pointing over at the huddle of ghosts, witches and various cosplayers.

“Apple bobbing.” Tina said. At Connor’s blank expression, she rolled her eyes and continued. “It’s a game. Your hands are tied behind your back and you have to try and pick up an apple with your mouth. It’s fun! Wanna try?”

Connor grimaced. “I’m good.” He said as Wilson’s head shot up from where it had been crouched, spraying water all over the floor and wall, his victorious shout muffled by the apple clamped between his teeth. It all looked very messy.

Tina shrugged. “Suit yourself. I’m gonna go over there and play – you good observing from there?”

“I’m good.” Connor confirmed as he leant back further in the chair. Tina shot him a grin before she turned away and hopped over to the paddling pool, her wings bobbing happily as she went. He popped the lollipop back into his mouth and relaxed, content.

“Connor!”

The sound of his name being called caused him to start slightly, and he turned to find the source. A gaggle of the precincts android staff had just entered the break room, each of them dressed from head to toe in their own Halloween gear. There were four of them – A JB300 called Alex and a KL900 named Daya, who both worked at the station. Alex worked primarily on CCTV, while Daya worked in social care; looking after victims and their families. The other two were James and Ella – a PC200 and PM700 respectively. Connor knew them all well. The androids at the precinct had really banded together since the revolution, and society was far from perfect – they all had each other’s backs.

“Hi, guys.” Connor greeted with a smile. He swivelled his chair around so he was facing the other androids. They all looked overjoyed to see him, and it made his thirium pump feel fuzzy for a brief moment.

“It’s so good to see you again!” Daya said, excitedly. She bent down to give him a hug, which his reciprocated after a moments startled hesitation. “When we heard what happened we were all so worried!”

“Seriously.” James agreed, also leaning in for a hug. “We were all super concerned.”

“I appreciate it.” Connor said. “I’m OK now.”

“Did you get our gift?” Ella asked. “We got all the androids at the precinct to chip in, everyone wanted to do something for you.”

Connor paused for a moment, thinking. “Oh! Goldie.” He said. “Yes, thank you all so much, it was a wonderful present.”

“Goldie?” Alex snorted, but his eyes were friendly. “That’s an imaginative name.”

“That’s what Hank said.” Said Connor. “I’m beginning to feel like you’re all being sarcastic.”

The four androids chuckled fondly. Connor’s face split into a shy grin.

“So, what was it like?” Daya asked, her expression sobering somewhat. “In one of those repair clinics?”

“None of us have ever been.” Ella added. “Jacob on reception has, though, you know, after he was assaulted. He won’t talk about what it was like there.”

Connor nodded gravely. Jacob’s assault was big news within the precinct, among both humans and androids. It happened a month after the revolution, and the only people who knew what happened were the officers assigned to his case. Jacob was obviously very shaken up about the whole thing, and always steered the conversation clear of the incident. No one dared pry.

“It was alright, actually.” Connor said. “I had a technician assigned to me; she was human but very kind.”

The four androids exchanged looks. Connor could guess by their expressions that none of them had ever been treated kindly by a human technician before. It was a sobering thought.

“It was very comfortable, and Lieutenant Anderson was able to stay with me.” He continued. “I can’t fault it.”

James nodded, deep in thought.

“Were they going to shut you down?” Alex asked abruptly. Ella shot him a look and landed a not-so-subtle stomp on the other androids foot. “What?” Alex snapped, indignantly.

Alex was always blunt, so much so he often came across demanding or rude. But Connor liked that quality about him. Humans, and a lot of androids as well, had a habit of skirting around the questions they wanted to ask, and Connor hated it. He found it hard to read social cues at the best of times. Alex was like a breath of fresh air in that regard.

He could understand why the other android would ask the question, though. Not too long ago, androids were being shut down and scrapped over minor damage due to human laziness and lack of care. If Connor had been hurt a year ago, it was likely he wouldn’t be sitting in the breakroom, joining in on the Halloween festivities then.

“I don’t think that was ever an option.” Connor answered. “I was badly damaged, but it was fixable. Besides, I don’t think Hank would have let them.”

All four androids visibly deflated.

“Androids have rights now.” Connor reminded them, softly. “They’re not going to let us shut down anymore.”

Daya nodded. “You’re right. They can’t kill us anymore.”

“I’m really glad you’re ok, Connor.” Ella smiled softly.

“Yeah.” Connor mirrored her smile. “So am I.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not sure when the last chapter will be; I'm attempting (attempting being the key word here) a 30 day challenge starting tomorrow so there's a possibility it won't be posted for a while. I won't abandon this, I promise! 
> 
> Thank you for all of your lovely comments so far ❤️

**Author's Note:**

> Comments, kudos and constructive criticism is welcomed!❤️


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